Education Focus
Lost in a good book… VIEW
HEADMISTRESS
Te phrase “lost in a book”, has taken on a whole new meaning, and alas and alack, for far too many children today, it can mean a lack of understanding of the
written text, the complications of a plot and the nuances of our language.
A young child learning to read cannot fail but be fascinated by the countless picture books available to stir the young imagination; but how many of these children at this exciting pre-reading stage go on to unravel the fulfillment of being lost in a different world, an adventure, a challenge, the world of a book? What happens between this pre-reading stage, where interest for the picture book is rife, and the later years of passing books over as a worn-out childhood game? As an English teacher for over 26 years, I have rarely seen a 4 year-old who has not been stirred by the world of books. Look again, however, at an 8 or 9 year-old; the expectations here are of independent reading. No wonder the easy world of electronic gadgets has won hands down for many children! Reading is not just a means to an end: It opens up a world of creativity. It is individual and requires a response. It provokes your intellect and expects a reaction. It communicates and we are glad for the experience. In the busy world that we live in, where it is not always possible for a parent to share the book experience with their child, the yoke falls on the school and teachers. In the independent sector, we are privileged with smaller classes, great resources and a generous staffing. And yet, although our boys and girls are competent readers, we teachers are not always able to walk into our well-stocked libraries and find purposeful and absorbed “book worms”. Te ICT suite is brimming with excitement, with captivated young people staring at an inanimate screen! Reading for pleasure, where do we go wrong? Teachers often face an unenviable challenge; but it can be overcome. Technology needs to be embraced. It needs to be embedded in the curriculum and have its place but not at the expense of children’s imagination; reading needs to be at the heart of the curriculum and needs priority. I am often asked by girls in my school whether they can bring in their Kindles to read. I do not allow this; the advantages of electronic books are numerous and obvious to see. I neither scorn nor disapprove of their use and enjoyment. Teir place in schools, however, where the role model leads, is limited; they are exclusive, they set a trend and they are not “human”! In a recent school assembly, I put it to the children to express their views on the issue of electronic books. Te comments were various: the tactile experience of holding a book; thumbing through the pages; the ease with which the book can be transported and savoured in their hands where their senses were engaged. We
48 FirstEleven Autumn 2011
Anna Evans, headmistress of Harvington Prep School, London, says technology has its place but not at the expense of reading for pleasure
“ ”
We teachers are not always able to walk into our well-stocked libraries and find purposeful and absorbed ‘bookworms’
explored the more “human” interaction between person and book, versus its electronic counterpart! At my school, I believe we have the right balance; we offer a fully comprehensive ICT suite with all that children will require to appreciate what technology has to offer. We make sure our priorities rest with the book in hand as we engender a thirst for books, a respect for the written word and an all-inclusive engagement with reading that is driven from school to home and back. It is at the heart of every lesson on the curriculum. Reading is alive and thriving and very much the topic of conversation in our playground; it is a “buzz” that engulfs both our young and older children. It is a phenomenon that is led by the role model – the teacher.
Support for your school
You or your school can download the free Schools Guide to Literacy which provides the latest research on literacy, as well as practical ideas for improving literacy in your school. Go to www.
literacytrust.org.uk/ guide
www.firstelevenmagazine.co.uk
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