Book Week: Celebrating the Importance of Reading and Stories

b

Ask any child and they will tell you that they love stories – both being read to and indeed, reading by themselves.  Elon Musk claims to have been raised ‘by books and then by my parents.’   He is not alone.  So many successful people (Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, Barack Obama to name but a few) articulate the importance of reading in their personal journey.

Why?  Because a story is so much more than just a tale.  Reading has the power to shape us as human beings.  Yes, there is a wealth of evidence to show the importance of reading for pleasure in developing the more obvious literacy skills:

  • Reading attainment and writing ability
  • Text comprehension and grammar
  • Breadth of vocabulary
  • General knowledge
1

However, there is equally compelling evidence to show the benefits of reading in arguably some of the most important skills we want for our children: 

  • A better understanding of other cultures
  • A greater insight into human nature and decision-making
  • Fostering of qualities such as empathy
  • Personal social and emotional development
img-6085w

It is fair to say that as they grow, the demands of school, and the distraction of things such as social media, can mean that children feel they have less time to read.   So how do we overcome this perception?

At Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi, we aim to continue to foster that love of reading by providing every student with a myriad of opportunities to engage with stories:

  • Timetabled sessions in the library in which students are introduced to books in different genres, to different authors and for book discussions
  • Provision of recommended reads based on interest and reading fluency
  • Opportunities for students to suggest books for the library collection
  • Students’ own book reviews and recommended reads displayed to help peers with their choices
  • Appointment of a student Library Champion to promote reading in a variety of ways
  • Opportunities to meet with authors
  • Book Club
  • Large selection of books in English, Mandarin and Spanish
  • Comfortable spaces to read
2

What can you do at home?

Build a culture of reading, modelling it as a valued leisure choice.  Provide your children with access to their own collection of books.  Research shows that children who have books of their own enjoy reading more and read more frequently.

As for what to read?  By all means, recommend the books that you have loved, but don’t despair if your child doesn’t want to read them just yet.  Personal choice is one of the most crucial factors in developing reading for pleasure.  Shanghai has so many wonderful bookshops and libraries – take your children to these and let them browse for what they are interested in.

Finally, it is interesting to note that whilst children read for leisure, that isn’t their only motivation.  The Nestle Family Monitor found that upon asking 11 to 18 year olds why they read; 55% stated that books help them understand different people/cultures, 40% wanted to learn more about new subjects, and 33% stated that books encouraged them to try new hobbies.

img-6017w

Book Week 2021

This week we are celebration our annual Book Week with the theme of Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds. Stay tuned next week, where we will share our Book Week highlights, looking at all of the wonderful memories created through our Book Week activities.

wechatimg54

Reference

  • Clark, C and Poulton, L. (2011). Book ownership and its relation to reading enjoyment, attitudes, behaviour and attainment. London: National Literacy Trust.
  • Department for Education (2012) Research Evidence on Reading for Pleasure, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284286/reading_for_pleasure.pdf
  • Musk, E. (2017) The Architect of Tomorrow https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/elon-musk-the-architect-of-tomorrow-120850/
  • Nestlé Family Monitor (2003). Young people’s attitudes towards reading. Croydon: Nestlé.