<<BACK: PRIMARY SCHOOL

THE MAGIC OF  READING

BOOKS over the last few years, seem to have been ousted in favour of technology, as computers and virtual reality have taken hold of the nation, but recently there has been a concerted effort to reinstate the magic of reading to young people.

Harry Potter and other stories of wizards and magic have helped kick start a new reading obsession along with such great reads as Tracy Beaker and other books by the fourth Children’s Laureate Jacqueline Wilson, she was succeeded in June by Michael Rosen.

The school National Curriculum leaves little time for reading, although “silent reading” sessions are often used by teachers.

Primary schools, in particular, try and include Book Week and other literary events during term to help bring the excitement of books back into children’s lives.

Library visits to hear readings by authors of their work and visits to schools by popular authors are also welcome. But for many schools the opportunity to meet an author and/or illustrator is just not possible especially with budget restraints, geographical location and the busy schedules of the writers themselves.

Recent educationalist and authors alike flagged up the advantages of reading aloud with the aim of getting books back into children’s lives.

Reading aloud in school by teachers is still often fitted in to busy days, but it usually stops, or is greatly cut back, once a child learns to read on his own. The same applies to parents reading to their child.

However, reading aloud to children is proven to help in the development and improvement of all literacy skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Children listen on a higher level than they read and listening to other readers stimulates growth and understanding of vocabulary and language patterns.

Reading a book to your child, or when a teacher reads to a class can also lead to discussions which enhance and expand understanding of the text (useful when GCSEs come along) and the illustrations are also very helpful in encouraging prediction and interpretation and can add to understanding.

As a parent you can encourage your child to relate the book to their own experiences and to find out more about the authors and illustrators — which all helps with important research skills.

If your child is enjoying a particular book read other works by that author and finding other books about curriculum-related topics of interest also encourages further reading and discovery.

Throughout their schooling, children today are required to compile projects and produce coursework and many educationalist suggest children struggle with school projects if they don’t have an established background of reading books.

During her time as Children’s Laureate, Jacqueline Wilson supported the value of reading aloud to children. In an interview with the Independent, Ms Wilson said: “If you read to children and get them hooked, they are readers for life. But you don’t have to stop when children can read for themselves, It can be a lovely family thing.

A  study of children’s reading habits by Tesco was surprising. The study asked 2,600 parents about their children’s reading habits and found that, contrary to popular opinion, children do not spend their lives glued to a computer screen.

About 40 percent of parents asked think their children read more than they did at the same age and, a new phenomena, called cross-over is that many children are recommending books to their parents to read. The most famous example of such a crossover book is Harry Potter but others listed in Tesco’s top 10 include Holes by Lousi Sachar.

However, many books recommended for teenage children to read, as well as the books studied in English literature, do not match up with the books that teenagers actually want to read.

The Royal Society of Literature asked writers to suggest the books they thought children should have read by the time they left school. Poet Laureate, Andrew Morton chose Paradise Lost, Ulysses and Don Quioxte, while among J K Rowling’s suggestions were Wuthering Heights and To Kill A Mockingbird.

But a poll of 11 to 16-year-olds by publisher A&C Black contrasted sharply with these suggestions and novelist Ben Okri has advised children to simply “read the books your parents hate”.

If you want a child to read the classics, then reading aloud to  them may be the answer. They often go back to read the book themselves when they are older.

GOOD WEBSITES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

• www.literacytrust.org.uk
• www.childrensauthors.tv

More @ your new Swansea Central Library

Swansea's new Central Library will have more books, more events and lots more space for everyone to enjoy.

Although not opening until March 2008, Marketing Services from the City and County of Swansea would like to keep you updated on all that's taking place between now and then.

All you have to do is email lisa.evans@swansea.gov.uk.  You will then be sent up to date information on what is happening as well as be invited to a special preview evening early next year.

More for you :

• The new Swansea Central Library will have a 100 percent increase in lending stock with over 12km of shelving, which if laid end to end would stretch from County Hall to Margam Park.
• From rhyme time for little ones to local history talks and reading groups for adults, there will be plenty of exciting, interesting and imaginative events for all the family.
• The new library will be 2000 square meters in size which is two five-a-side football pitches or four netball courts!
• A discovery room with IT will be available for use by schools, community groups and lifelong learners.
• The ground floor of the library will be designed to be a modern, vibrant space full of conversation, music and interaction. The childrens area will be 35 percent of the ground floor and include climb-on book towers, reading tunnels and patterned carpets for playing games.
• There will be a time that suits everyone to browse among the library, all at your leisure whether it is before or after school and work; or during the weekend:
• Self service technology to allow staff to spend more time supporting the public including a book return and sorting system — first in Welsh Public Libraries
• Increased seating to encourage browsing and for people to stay and enjoy the view.
• TFT screens delivering Freeview television, news feeds, community information and music channels
• Whether you are borrowing books, music, or films, searching the internet, finding out information or participating in events make the new Swansea Central Library be part of your life.