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Focus on books:
Teaching to read: awareness and promotion
Prof. Sunanda Mahendra
The month of October is generally regarded as the period devoted to
reading. In this direction, quite a number of issues pertaining to the
subject of reading books is taken especially by the National Library
Services Board.
A few years ago, as I remember, the then Director and Chairman of the
National Library Services Board Upali Amarasiri and W A Abeysinghe
introduced several working projects to establish the awareness of the
reading habit at school level and among the general public. I am not too
sure as to what happens today, but the acceptance of the concept of a
good reading habit is rooted.
Firstly the educationists believe that reading habit should be
formulated as a skill from the childhood, where the child should be
encouraged to select reading material from the classroom collection of
books and from the school library. But this has to be done carefully in
keeping with the age groupings. The teacher who so is interested and is
entrusted to promote the reading skills has to acquire a vision on the
material provided for child reading. Children should be encouraged to
read books that kindle their imaginative faculty. As such they are
encouraged to take up reading material on folklore, science fiction,
adventure and supplementary readers, that help them broaden the
knowledge gained via the usual text books. This is regarded as a first
step in the formulation of a good reading habit. To enhance this habit
and to kindle the reading interest, parent teacher guidance is
necessary. The age-old module provides the silent reading in the
classroom where reading during a specified period of time is a
necessity. The teacher too could be a participant t as it had happened
in the past. I am not too sure how well this habit is inculcated at the
school level of education.
The modern day educationists believe in a change of the teaching
method as from the mere lecture presentation to the supply of a hand out
as an acquisition of subject knowledge. The basis of this teaching
technique is to help provide the student with the extra reading material
which he may hunt or research from various sources.
To acquire necessary learning material the libraries could be of
immense help. As such school libraries and public libraries have to be
updated and modernised from time to time. The launching of new books in
library premises undoubted by providing a fresh sense of interest to be
aware of books and the embedded subject material. This issue should not
be regarded merely as a commercial book promotion where books are cited
as commodities.
The launching of books should be handled with much care and
responsibly. A healthy dialogue on a new book may create a 'book
culture' where a new readership is built. But I find that this vision is
either disregarded or made to undermine. The outcome generally is of
threshold interest, for most of the speakers invited to speak on a
particular book, may make the chance of his presentation to exhibit his
leanings to various schools of thought. The person who is invited to
speak on a particular book launch is perhaps responsible for the
creation of the afore-cited 'book culture'.
Once two Sinhalese poets launched their collection of poetry
collections before a large invited audience. They also invited two types
of speakers to speak on the subject.
One was reputed provincial school teacher and a tuition teacher. The
other was a retired Sinhalese professor who also had certain obscure
political leanings. What happened at the book launch was alarming. The
two speakers grabbed the opportunity to create a boring and dull climate
of opinion which was rather un-preferred by the audience. As a result
the awareness on the books concerned was lost. The audience may not have
felt the pulse of interest on the two books intended to be launched.
This happens continuously and is deemed as a current trend. Electronic
mass media channels too could play a vita role in the production of
reading habits in people.
To address this issue the communicators concerned should be helped to
learn reading as a guidance in their profession. As I know it
intimately, some younger generation of communicators are not guided to
select helpful and resourceful books for their profession. As such they
parrot what they read merely in newspapers. But I also see some healthy
signs of the usage of books on their part, where they try their best to
introduce newly available books. Some communicators indicate these books
are awarded as gifts for listeners and viewers. This is a good sign of
building a 'book culture'. The book gift is regarded is the best gift.
I have often heard writers say that their books don't sell well. This
concept needs further clarification, for who buys for what purpose is
necessary. Is tele-viewing and radio listening a hindrance to the
reading habit inculcated over the years? Books are bought by readers on
certain dependable factors. Sometimes the publishers are not seen in the
actual creation of a 'book culture'. Books have to be printed, published
and promoted methodically. Many publishers expect the task to be
performed by the writers. The writer's basic function of writing. But
once the book in the form of a manuscript is ready it is up to the
publisher to gauge who it could be published and promoted to the public
at large. Various techniques could be utilised towards this, and
scientific discussions on the subject of the 'readability' should be
looked from various points of view. It is easy to state that 'people
don't read', but it is difficult to know 'why they don't read'.
Readership surveys have been conducted from time to time to gauge the
intensity of reading. But quite a number of cardinal factors have been
undermined. What are they? Do we have well-equipped libraries where
people gather? Do we have book promotion methods? Have we established
reading habits at school level? Do we have money to buy books though we
like to read them? These are some of the question that need answers. |
