I am convinced that reading skills is one of the most fundamental skills every child should have. Reading is, in essence, the building block for becoming a lifelong learner. In a broader look, reading is beneficial since it provides an avenue through which children can reach the world. Additionally, it improves the readers’ thinking process. Reading also provides readers with an opportunity to explore alternative ways of life. It is one of the most feasible and beneficial activities that can be done by an individual. Therefore, this paper will discuss the significance of reading in different perspectives and settings to a learner.
Reading is a way through which children can reach out to the world. Reading is significant for children since it reports information and knowledge to their brains. It is no doubt that reading increases a child’s vocabularies and spelling more than direct teaching or talking. Reading enables people to check for the meaning of the words that they have never heard or seen before. Many children who read books turn out to be more articulate than those who do not. Learning new words offers significant cognitive nutrients. According to Hargrave & Sénéchal (2000), learning, something new is one of the best things which one can do to expand the brain capacity. From reading, one develops brain connections. With the brain connections, the polyglots get stronger at multitasking, memorizing and focusing on valuable information.
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Reading improves readers' thinking process. The art of reading books requires readers to imagine and think about different details in the book. Thinking about plot and characters, for example, enables readers to improve their thinking process. When reading is repeatedly done, the brain gets persuaded to be more buoyant and to absorb more information, and this is hugely beneficial. Reading obliges readers to stay focused on the material they are reading for the longest time. As opposed to the magazines, emails or internet posts which may only contain small segments of information, books share full stories. Since readers have to concentrate for them to read and understand, reading improves levels of concentration, abilities to think as well as plunging information into the brain. Reading fiction, for instance, has been proven to increase emotional intelligence and empathy. One recent study found that participants who read the first chapter of a storybook manifested a noticeable increase in understanding in one week while the new readers showed a decrease (Hargrave &Sénéchal, 2000). The findings of this study may appear trivial, but they are not. Developing social tools like emotional intelligence and empathy leads to a more human interaction which lowers the levels of stress and thus helps one to live healthier and longer lives.
Reading also provides one with an alternative way of life. From reading one can tolerate different opinions, ideas and sometimes different perspective from what one may have believed before. Reading enables the readers to appreciate different cultures different from the common one. People who do not read often are ignorant and tend to be rigid with their beliefs, opinions, and perceptions and most of the time become violent or rebellious when confronted with different cultures. Reading enables one to be more flexible and appreciative of the diversity in the world (Scott &Saaiman, 2016). Notably, a person who reads turns out to be successful in life while one who does not read become ignorant and end up failing in life. If one wants to be recognized as a profound person rather than a delinquent type who begrudges people who are successful, then one should adopt the reading habit. Reading is a cheap entertainment with lasting pleasures.
In conclusion, the art of reading provides readers with a distinct advantage over other people who do not read. Reading goes above and beyond to prepare and challenge children for future learning. As discussed above, reading is not only beneficial to children but also to adults as it improves one’s thinking process as well as enabling one to explore different worlds while appreciating diversity.
References
Hargrave, A. C., & Sénéchal, M. (2000). A book reading intervention with preschool children who have limited vocabularies: The benefits of regular reading and dialogic reading. Early Childhood Research Quarterly , 15 (1), 75-90.
Scott, L., &Saaiman, E. (2016). Promoting reading skills or wasting time? Students' perceived benefits of reading in an intermediary programme at the Vaal University of Technology. Reading & Writing-Journal of the Reading Association of South Africa , 7 (1), 1-11.
