9th July 2015

- The Hindu

Building a community of young readers

Uma believes reading for just fun is very important in the development of a child’s overall personality. Kids, she says, learn the best – no matter what they are learning – with sensitive guidance. Now, many parents tell her that the time children spend at the reading club is the most potent learning time of the day.

But feels Uma, it is equally important for parents to participate. When children choose their own books to read, it also helps them to engage in habitual, passionate and independent reading.

“You only need to create the right culture,” says Uma, “and children will shape it into a cherished habit.”

Reading expert J Uma Meenakshi says:

Parental involvement comes first in encouraging children to pick up the reading habit at an early age.

Parental involvement means every parent should do Read Aloud sessions with the child every day. Parents should start as early as possible, even when the child is a few months old. And later when the child grows, read alouds should be made interactive involving the child in picture, character, story related discussions.

The child has to be attractively taken through any book.

Parents should create a good reading atmosphere, make available age appropriate books and also be alert and sensitive to the child’s interest. But books must be always made accessible to the child.

Parents have to be role models when it comes to reading, whether they read magazines, news papers or books. The content does not matter, the regularity matters which the child sees. It is only after initiation at home that schools, libraries and reading clubs can support and enhance a child’s reading habit.