Reading is an important part of our day to day lives. It is unfortunate that most children nowadays seldom read books at all because their time has been filled with video games like xbox and media gadgets like Ipad. The Internet also has replaced paperback novels and instead of reading rich texts most people opt to just watch videos online. If parents had instilled the importance of reading at a young age then kids would grow up to be more knowledgeable and imaginative. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that teaching children to read at an early age, even a day after they are born will stimulate their brain and enhance its development in language skills furthermore this strengthens the bond between parent and child.
Having a good foundation on your reading skills will also be a benefit in school as you will be able to understand and interpret the ideas and lessons from textbooks that are used in school curriculums. Reading does not only entail the ability to grasp the meaning of the words in the text but to connect the ideas from the words to what we already know.
Reading with comprehension allows the reader to relate the words in the text to what he knows, feels and thinks of at that particular moment. We read with a purpose in mind whether is for gaining knowledge, looking for an answer or to be entertained. And while we read, we think actively at the same time participating in the exchange of information that is happening when we read; we take in the words and relate it to our previous knowledge. In short, we make sense of what we read and not just plain decoding of text.
Comprehension is not mastered in one sitting, it is developed over time and we learn by doing the process over and over again until we have so much knowledge that reading with comprehension becomes an easy thing for us. Why do we need to read? How important is it for my daily life activities? Is it necessary? The answer to all these questions is—–YES. Here is why.
Reading will increase our literacy and with it we can live comfortably. Being able to read the street signs, directions, prices and public notifications makes our life easier. We can live independently and manage to go around places knowing that you will be able to find your way back.
Reading can help us nourish our language and help us communicate better. In a world that is slowly becoming smaller and smaller because of globalization and increases in population, people are becoming more sociable and interdependent. To facilitate peace and understanding, being able to enrich our vocabulary for use in communication is very important.
So take time to pick up a book that interests you and develop a skill which can be of use for you for a lifetime. Help other kids to learn how to read to become a better individual and to be equipped with knowledge useful for life.