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The teacher in the academic environment is the next contact for every child after the parents in the home. The teacher is looked unto next to direct, teach and guide the students placed in his or her care in almost all areas especially academic matters. It is, however, worrisome that most teachers today have neglected this cogent responsibility of catering for their students especially helping them to develop and imbibe the reading culture.
This write-up is not meant to point accusing fingers at anyone but to point out to how teachers can recognize how important and sensitive their roles are in the lives of their students. You might want to ask, "is a teacher meant to force students to read against their will?" Truly, you can't force a donkey to drink water but you can make it see the need to and that applies to students also. A teacher can engage students to read in multifarious ways and guide them to be champions of the reading culture.
Firstly, a teacher can make students see the need to read by making them recognize the consequences of NOT reading. Impromptu tests and calling up of students to answer questions in class is an effective way to drive this point home. If teachers can give out impromptu tests to students, not with the intent of punishing or using the grades in their cumulative results for the subject but just simply to teach students to read and help them realise the effect of not reading. It is a well-known fact that students who read before and after classes do well in impromptu tests than others who wait until notice is given for tests or examinations before they start reading or rather, cramming within the very short notice.
Calling up of students before a class begins to say one or two things about the previous lesson will help to know those who actually read after the last class and make those who were unable to provide answers to this question to realise their inability is a result of not reading. The same also goes to asking questions on the topic about to be taught, this will help the teacher to know students who have been reading ahead of classes and those who have not. This technique will also help to make students realise the need to read before and after each class.
In the same vein, teachers can give out the scheme of work on the subject (s) to be taught and encourage their students to read ahead of classes and also ask questions to know if they did or not, awards can be awarded for active participation in class also.
Teachers can also urge students to read by mandating them to do individual and group presentations to the class on what they have read, this may be in regard to the previous lesson or the next one to be taught.
Students can also be assigned with general topics to research on, discuss or debate on in inter-class contests such as Spelling Bee competition, Debate and so on. Thus, students will be eager to engage in the reading culture more with so many activities attached to it.
Teachers are therefore urged to encourage their students in order to see the need to engage more in the reading culture and also to see it as a means of self-development for themselves.
I love Reading
I love ETCSINES
Writer: Aduragbemi Akintepede (Duwa_Diva)
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