A novice swimmer and a skilled swimmer, both dive into the beautiful waters of Maldives. The expert
enjoys the scenic beauty of the tranquil waters of the Indian Ocean marvelling at the breathtaking marine life,
pausing now and then to see how the Manta Ray looks like a huge bird swimming in the water or how the little
fish swimming in schools dodge the shrewd predators! The novice swimmer, on the other hand, fears turbulence
even when tranquillity prevails, his eyes are always on the lookout for danger, and all he is able to think is
how best he can synchronise his breath and movements till he reaches the safety of land. Despite being in one of
the most beautiful places of the earth, the amateur could not appreciate even an iota of it, and his mind was
clouded with apprehension about his abilities and challenges of the unfamiliar waters.
Shaima, a class two student experiences similar fears and apprehensions when she opens a book to read.
She looks
at the ocean of words and with great courage dives into it. She struggles to stitch together the letters hoping
to encounter a familiar word which would give her anxious and flustered mind a sense of comfort. Even though the
book could take Shaima on a fascinating journey and expose her to the wonders of the world, she was not yet
ready to experience any part of it. The beautiful illustrations could not aid in clearing up the clouds of
scepticism from her mind. Just like the amateur diver, Shaima’s struggle with words made her pant for
understanding and resulted in nothing but frustration.
Shaima is not alone in her struggle; hundreds of children face similar reading challenges. The primary concern
today among many educators and parents alike is the diminishing level of subject comprehension among students.
Many techniques are devised and implemented to improve the level of understanding of the student, but none seem
to be effective enough. The reason being the failure to address the root cause of the problem. Reading is to
comprehension as breathing is to life! The mind of a fluent reader is free to understand, explore, learn and
relish the content he is reading. All his efforts are focused on the context of the material rather than on the
science of reading.
English is the most commonly spoken language in India, and it is more Indian to the natives than most of the
regional languages to the extent that many of the local languages are slowly sinking into oblivion. The number
of students studying in English is expected to double in coming five years moreover a large portion of the
material of instruction is predominantly in English. Despite its popularity, the language still comes across as
a challenge to young learners.
Helping children attain fluency in English is no Herculian task. Small efforts at the primary school level can
make learning the language an enjoyable experience.
Flexibility is the key
Structuring a child’s activities during his time in the school is essential, but breathers within the structure
are imperative to help the child catch up on what he is lagging behind or further develop what he is good at. A
child’s timetable should have both fixed and flexible segments in it. In an eight-period, 5/6-days a week
timetable, some periods have to be mandatory like a period for English, Maths and Science every day and at least
two periods for sports or PT a week. Apart from this, a period every day can be set aside as the “Reading hour”
when the students can be encouraged to improve their reading skills. Fluent readers can be motivated to pick a
book of their choice to read, write their reflection and share their learning with their peers. Sharing stories
is definitely the best way to connect; fluent readers can be made a part of a peer help group, thus building a
collaborative learning culture in the classroom. An education assistant or a senior student volunteer can also
be invited to provide one-on-one help to struggling readers.
Books are our best friends
It is very aptly said that the journey of a lifetime starts with turning of a page! Inculcate love for books
in children. Enlarge their world and expose their tender minds and hearts to the beautiful world of
imagination. Let their thoughts take flight and let them believe that their efforts can turn even vague
possibilities into reality. Nothing captures a young reader’s attention, like a well-illustrated and
well-written book. Stock up the school library with age-appropriate books. Introduce them to the books by Enid
Blyton, Dr Suess, Roald Dahl, Beatrix Potter, J K Rowling and many such renowned writers. A portable school
library with an assortment of books of different reading levels is a workable solution in schools that do not
have a space for a traditional library. The sense of ownership and responsibility among children grows manifold
when they are involved in setting up a class library. Every classroom can have its own ‘Reader’s niche’ with a
set of books. Book fares give a wonderful opportunity to buy books at lower prices. Take the children to book
fares held across the city, let them choose books on different themes for the ‘Reader’s niche’. Assign the role
of a librarian to a student to help maintain a functional class library. One small effort can help teachers set
the students on the path of learning multiple values and skills like planning, collaboration, spending wisely,
responsibility, making the right choice, leadership and above all love for reading!
Principal as a goal setter
Beginning of the year is the time to make resolutionsand set practices that can be followed throughout
the
year. The Principal or the school leader can set the ball rolling by inspiring the teachers and students to take
up a challenge or an activity for the entire year. A Principal , for instance, had read out an excerpt from a
book in the school assembly on how different people could have different perceptions and how important it is for
us always to try to understand other’s perspective before arriving at any conclusion. He then went on to
motivate the staff and students to explore ‘The other perspective’ in every class and every subject all through
the year. It was an attempt to nurture the most vital humane value, empathy, among the staff and students. The
Principal being an instructional leader sets an excellent example of how books implore the readers to ponder and
how the lessons we learn can be applied in our day to day lives. Thus, taking a step further towards better
reading, better comprehension, productive conversation and genuine reflection. The more students converse and
discuss in the class, better will be their familiarity with the language, thus helping them become better
readers.
Me and you, let’s read together
Share lives, share a book. Take up book reading as a class activity. Chose a book for the year and read a page
for your students at the beginning of the day. Dedicate 20 minutes every morning for the interactive reading
session. Take the class along with you on a journey to understand the feelings, thoughts, words and choices of
the characters. The more the children listen, the more familiar they become with words and how they sound; thus,
better readers they become. Once the teacher reads aloud, let the children read the same portion. Now, that they
are familiar with the text, reading becomes more effortless, paving a way to find joy, meaning and sense of
accomplishment. Encourage the students to paraphrase what they have read either by writing or speaking to
improve their cognition. The students might have to re-read the text if they find it difficult to summarise. The
teacher can even ask specific comprehension questions to further check the level of understanding and as an
attempt to help them overcome any inhibition in writing and speaking. Books like ‘Wonder’ by R J Palacio, ‘So
tall within’ by Gary D Schmidt are involving enough to evoke the value of inclusion and fighting for a cause
among the students. Free resources related to such books are available on the internet to pique the curiosity of
the young minds by allowing them to indulge in creative activities.
Literary clubs
Students from different classes can come together to form clubs like the ‘Reading scouts’, ‘Here to
parley’,
‘Talented thespians’, ‘Smart sleuths’ for reading, debate, drama, journalism and many more such activities. Two
periods every week can be dedicated to the club activities. Students can be motivated to be a part of at least
two clubs. The students in senior grades act as mentors for the students in the junior grades. Students explore,
research and learn together all the while improving their reading, comprehension, learning, retention and
communication skills. Such activities can also be related to current social issues and help bring awareness
about the same among students and arouse in them a desire to be responsible citizens of the country. When
students attempt to come up with creative solutions to the problems they not only become active listeners, they
also learn to collaborate and become team players.
Small efforts to build a bridge between the readers and books can give solutions to myriad problems. So
dear
readers, be the lifeguards and guides help the amateur readers confidently dive into the beautiful ocean of
words and encourage them to explore the unknown realms and discover precious pearls of wisdom! Help them become
the torchbearers for tomorrow, help them read to lead!
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