R Nitelight
Her Rock
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Aliteracy
- Thread starter R Nitelight
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Closet Desire
Literotica Guru
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Interesting article...
...thanks.
I was intriqued by what it said about reading for pleasure...and not too surprised. I just quit hosting a creative writing club at the local high school because the head of the English department kept trying to turn it into just another homework assignment or English test. I wanted these kids to read, talk about, and write about things they enjoyed...no matter what they were. The teacher couldn't keep herself from quantifying and evaluating...even in a volunteer, lunch time get together.
I was always a voracious reader, but it didn't come from school. There I was taught only the other kind and it bored me to tears.
Of course, the criteria used in the quoted surveys could be a bit off as well. It talked about how many books one reads a week. Although I spend as much as six or eight hours a day reading and writing I couldn't say I read even a book a month. I read a great deal on the computer, passages from books, magazines, and so forth. It doesn't mean I don't choose to read for pleasure...it just means my source is sometimes not a book.
...thanks.
I was intriqued by what it said about reading for pleasure...and not too surprised. I just quit hosting a creative writing club at the local high school because the head of the English department kept trying to turn it into just another homework assignment or English test. I wanted these kids to read, talk about, and write about things they enjoyed...no matter what they were. The teacher couldn't keep herself from quantifying and evaluating...even in a volunteer, lunch time get together.
I was always a voracious reader, but it didn't come from school. There I was taught only the other kind and it bored me to tears.
Of course, the criteria used in the quoted surveys could be a bit off as well. It talked about how many books one reads a week. Although I spend as much as six or eight hours a day reading and writing I couldn't say I read even a book a month. I read a great deal on the computer, passages from books, magazines, and so forth. It doesn't mean I don't choose to read for pleasure...it just means my source is sometimes not a book.
Alex De Kok
Eternal Optimist
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- Jul 4, 2000
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Fascinating - and frightening. I don't know what the figure is for the UK, but I suspect it's similar or worse! I've always been a reader, and have a lot of sympathy with the (probably apocryphal) unnamed person who said he preferred radio to television, "because the pictures were better".
I just did a quick book count. The bookcase in the room where I'm writing this has almost 150 books and we have three other bookcases in the house.
Include me in the voracious reader category!
Alex
I just did a quick book count. The bookcase in the room where I'm writing this has almost 150 books and we have three other bookcases in the house.
Include me in the voracious reader category!
Alex
I'm a little late with this....but I've just registered and would like to voice my opinion on this particular subject.
As a Kindergarten teacher and a tutor for reading, the article that R. Nitelight highlighted did not surprise me in the least. I have seen the art of reading a book aloud or alone to be one that has gone by the wayside. In today's fast-paced society, people are turning to instant gratification as a standard way of operating. Hence, the books on tape. Yes, they are a wonderful thing, I won't take that away from them. But, on the other hand, they have taken something away from us and from future generations. When I was growing up, I couldn't wait to get to the library - I happen to love the scent of books, the feel of books, and wandering through the aisles in a book store or a library. A book is something that forever leaves an imprint in your mind. To see the words on the pages come alive inside your brain and use your imagination as you're following the characters come alive.....that's such a magical experience. Reading a book to a child is the same exact way. The child uses their imagination and that is how they learn and grow as humans. I would like to see more people reading books rather than listening to them.
I think I may have rambled way too much on this topic, but it's something I feel very strongly about.
Have a wonderful day!
WildHoney
As a Kindergarten teacher and a tutor for reading, the article that R. Nitelight highlighted did not surprise me in the least. I have seen the art of reading a book aloud or alone to be one that has gone by the wayside. In today's fast-paced society, people are turning to instant gratification as a standard way of operating. Hence, the books on tape. Yes, they are a wonderful thing, I won't take that away from them. But, on the other hand, they have taken something away from us and from future generations. When I was growing up, I couldn't wait to get to the library - I happen to love the scent of books, the feel of books, and wandering through the aisles in a book store or a library. A book is something that forever leaves an imprint in your mind. To see the words on the pages come alive inside your brain and use your imagination as you're following the characters come alive.....that's such a magical experience. Reading a book to a child is the same exact way. The child uses their imagination and that is how they learn and grow as humans. I would like to see more people reading books rather than listening to them.
I think I may have rambled way too much on this topic, but it's something I feel very strongly about.
Have a wonderful day!
WildHoney
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Thanks, interesting article. I'm a reader and I also take books on tape for my 40 minute commute morning and night.
I get a little concerned with children spending so many hours on really bad TV and also on computer games. On the other hand my parents probably worried about comic books or something else I wasted time on.
It is encouraging that I find my book store parking lot full on Saturday mornings and as often as not, a line at the cash register. Strange contradiction, it seems to me.
We built a new library in my town this year. That was a surprise that a bond issue passed for a book place.
I'm not sure, but I suspect that the volume (at least - quality may be something else) of books sold is probably at an all time high. I don't have the figures, it is just an impression judging by the book events and programs like Booknotes.
Anyone know the actual figures for books published?
I get a little concerned with children spending so many hours on really bad TV and also on computer games. On the other hand my parents probably worried about comic books or something else I wasted time on.
It is encouraging that I find my book store parking lot full on Saturday mornings and as often as not, a line at the cash register. Strange contradiction, it seems to me.
We built a new library in my town this year. That was a surprise that a bond issue passed for a book place.
I'm not sure, but I suspect that the volume (at least - quality may be something else) of books sold is probably at an all time high. I don't have the figures, it is just an impression judging by the book events and programs like Booknotes.
Anyone know the actual figures for books published?
TaffyJ
Really Really Experienced
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- Jun 1, 2001
- Posts
- 398
I believe any child who is not already television dependant (and some who are) would like to be introduced to books and reading if it's done the right way. Until I discovered reading for pleasure at the age of twelve, I hated reading too. Now I spend about 20% of my average day either reading or writing.
It takes reaching the child at the "teachable moment" for them to realize reading can be fascinating. We, as parents or mentors, are responsible for taking advantage of that moment. We know our children's interests. We should find a strictly-for-pleasure book to hand to our kid on a subject that makes it almost irresistable for them to check it out.
It's nice to be upset that aliteracy exists, but lets DO something about it, too. There's most likely at least one young person in each of our lives who could benefit from an intro to reading for pleasure. Find a way to reach them.
It takes reaching the child at the "teachable moment" for them to realize reading can be fascinating. We, as parents or mentors, are responsible for taking advantage of that moment. We know our children's interests. We should find a strictly-for-pleasure book to hand to our kid on a subject that makes it almost irresistable for them to check it out.
It's nice to be upset that aliteracy exists, but lets DO something about it, too. There's most likely at least one young person in each of our lives who could benefit from an intro to reading for pleasure. Find a way to reach them.
Ray Dario
Literotica Guru
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- Dec 2, 2000
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I would take this article with a grain of salt. One about the size of Texas.
Statistics and polls can be made to say whatever the person conducting it want's it to say. If they want to prove a certain point all they have to do is word the poll carefully and wah la 90 percent of Americans believe like they predicted, with a five percent margin of error.
The big media here have known this for years and have used it to influence social behavior of the masses for nearly as long. So, do I think this is a big conspiracy to undermine the common man from reading, forcing them to be more dependant on TV?
No really I don't. But I do think this guy's conclusions are full of shit! He wanted to write an article about stupid Americans not reading and so he put together a poll that showed that and then did a few interviews with selected people to back up his conclusions.
There is plenty of evidence contrary to his conclusions: Book sells volumes, Library Attendance records, Literacy rates, even newspaper and magazine subscription rates. They all point to more readers not less.
So I chalk this up to more sensationalist journalism. A incompetent journalist trying to make news since he is incapable of reporting it.
But that is just my opinion.
Ray
Statistics and polls can be made to say whatever the person conducting it want's it to say. If they want to prove a certain point all they have to do is word the poll carefully and wah la 90 percent of Americans believe like they predicted, with a five percent margin of error.
The big media here have known this for years and have used it to influence social behavior of the masses for nearly as long. So, do I think this is a big conspiracy to undermine the common man from reading, forcing them to be more dependant on TV?
No really I don't. But I do think this guy's conclusions are full of shit! He wanted to write an article about stupid Americans not reading and so he put together a poll that showed that and then did a few interviews with selected people to back up his conclusions.
There is plenty of evidence contrary to his conclusions: Book sells volumes, Library Attendance records, Literacy rates, even newspaper and magazine subscription rates. They all point to more readers not less.
So I chalk this up to more sensationalist journalism. A incompetent journalist trying to make news since he is incapable of reporting it.
But that is just my opinion.
Ray
TaffyJ
Really Really Experienced
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2001
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- 398
maybe, maybe not...
Maybe its' just sensationalist journalism, and maybe not. I was a librarian for a few years. Lots of people came to the library, but generally only older people (above 60) checked out novel length books without pictures. The kids checked out video game magazines and teen magazines, movies and CD's. Anytime kids needed books or information for a school project they seemed either lazy or pathetically unable to find it themself. And our library has a very easy to use computer catalog system.
Maybe its' just sensationalist journalism, and maybe not. I was a librarian for a few years. Lots of people came to the library, but generally only older people (above 60) checked out novel length books without pictures. The kids checked out video game magazines and teen magazines, movies and CD's. Anytime kids needed books or information for a school project they seemed either lazy or pathetically unable to find it themself. And our library has a very easy to use computer catalog system.
One point in the article interested me: the part about teachers putting on an adaption on the T.V. and expecting th pupils to acheive A's.
I did an English class in college, and instead of READING shakespeare, we read very small excerpts for two lessons without analysis. And, then she put on Shakespeare in Love on the college TV and pissed off for an hour and an half.
All the pupils received ds and Es. Except me and a freind who got Cs. Pathetic. But that's public education for you.
I did an English class in college, and instead of READING shakespeare, we read very small excerpts for two lessons without analysis. And, then she put on Shakespeare in Love on the college TV and pissed off for an hour and an half.
All the pupils received ds and Es. Except me and a freind who got Cs. Pathetic. But that's public education for you.
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