Get caught reading!

NIRMALA RAGHAVAN

Log on to www. getcaughtreading.org says Dr. Prabhu to the children in the auditorium at D.A.V. Girls' Senior Secondary School, Gopalapuram, Chennai. Dr. Prabhu is Reader, Nandanam Arts College.

Although most children are exposed to English from a young age, reading is not given much importance. This could be due to the system of examination, which tests memory rather than creative skills. Fun-filled and focussed activities enhance motivation and bring the best out of children, says Dr. Saraswati, retired Professor of English, University of Madras.

To explore ways of inculcating the reading habit in children, D.A.V. Girls' School, in collaboration with IndRA (Indian Reading Association, Chennai) hosted "Get Caught Reading" in August, for middle graders.

Mrs. Mallika Mani, Director of SriKriti, welcomed the idea and said that IndRA would take this event to other schools too.

This event is aimed at improving children's access to books and providing equal opportunities, for all to read for the fun of it .To quote the journal the Reading Teacher, experiments have proved that students reading for pleasure did better than traditionally taught students on tests of reading, comprehension, vocabulary, oral language, grammar, listening comprehension and writing.

All about a dog by A. G. Gardiner, The Thieves who Couldn't Help Sneezing by Thomas Hardy, Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain and Tiger in the Town by R. K. Narayan are some of the books that were distributed. After the reading sessions the students were asked to make a poster presentation - If I were the author, If I were the artist, Dramatise, Predict, Connect and Associate ideas (genre switching). These activities helped children think, make decisions and solve problems.

The joy on the faces of the children, was proof enough of the effectiveness of the event .The students dispersed promising to make reading a HOBBIT- Hobby + Habit.

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