Need to change our view of reading

Many students view reading as punitive. Our methods of socialisation both in the home and at school have greatly contributed to this negative perception of reading. Students’ unenthusiastic opinions of reading have been amplified in this digital age where the physical book has almost been rendered obsolete, as technological gadgets such as smartphones and tablets have become commonplace in most societies.

Many of us can recall in our childhood being told to go and take up our books after engaging in some inappropriate behaviour. Unfortunately, this practice concerning reading as a disciplinary means has been transmitted throughout generations. Sadly, our society has normalised this behaviour.

The solution, however, relating to this societal problem will require a broad- based consultative approach such as that of Read Across Jamaica Day. The day aims to promote literacy and encourage students to develop a love for reading.

What happens after Read Across Jamaica Day when the media spotlight is off? Regrettably, in many instances, it is back to business as usual. Our schools for the most part lack resources and therefore it is rather easy to return to the roller-coaster method. After all, that is the zone of comfort and complacency.

The genesis of the nation’s reading crisis is at the early childhood level. Too many students transition to the primary level with rather weak phonetic awareness skills. This cycle oftentimes continues to the secondary level where students struggle with phonetic awareness and syllabication skills. It bears thought that many more resources are required at the Early Childhood level; yet this level is often characterised by the “Cinderella Syndrome”.

The corrective measures surrounding literacy must begin at the genesis. At the core of reading is motivation. Unfortunately, a significant number of students are not motivated. Reading is a multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension, fluency, and motivation.

Reading requires the following: Identify the words in print, a process called word recognition. Construct an understanding from them, a process called comprehension. Coordinate identifying words and make meaning so that reading is automatic and accurate, an achievement called fluency.

Our non-reading culture should be interrogated along gender neutral lines to make reading fun once again. There is a need to separate toxic masculinity from the school culture in order to better prepare our boys to appreciate reading.

There needs to be reading competitions in schools as well as parish competitions, also among schools within the Quality Education Circles (QECs).

The reading crisis also shows up in multiple subjects as students struggle to write. The interconnectedness between reading and writing has long been established. Findings from a study published by the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology to analyse the effects of manual and keyboard training on children’s skills revealed that children develop stronger reading and writing skills when they learn and practice handwriting.

The study co-author Joana Acha said, “As children write less and less by hand their ability to learn letters and to assimilate and remember word structure develops differently through manual training or the use of keyboards.” Joana Acha states what is most clear is the need to prioritise manual practice in the learning processes. Children learn best from hand movements and so technological devices should only be used in a complementary way.

The Report of the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission (JETC) chaired by Professor Orlando
Patterson stated that most students at the primary level were barely literate. According to the JETC, the 2019 Primary Exit Profile exam revealed that 33 per cent of students cannot read or can barely do so; 56 per cent of students cannot, or can barely, write; and 58 per cent of students cannot, or can barely, find information on a topic. Evidently, the nation is faced with a reading crisis. Representation in texts is also important and should reflect Caribbean
realities.

Disturbingly, boys who display school smarts are often ridiculed as effeminate by peers and even adults in areas where academic excellence by males is typically devalued. Our schools need to engender a reading culture where students appreciate reading for pleasure and fun.

Our students should become comfortable with a variety of different written forms and genres; however, this will not happen by chance and must be intentional. Students should feel safe to read in their classes without fear of being ridiculed. Sadly, too many of our classrooms are toxic and not reading ready and this needs to be corrected.

In the words of Barack Obama, reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible.

Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.