Department of Education (DepEd) launches programs to help pupils become well-rounded individuals and citizens of our country. Two years ago, November was selected to be the National Reading Month as part of DepEd’s School Reading Program. Thus, to fulfill this mandate, several schools establish reading centers not only in compliance to the program, but also to provide better learning outcomes.
Reading as defined in the dictionary is a means of language acquisition of communication and of sharing information and ideas. This has been proven entirely true and that is where the role of the so-called Reading Center comes out. Reading Center is usually open for all which from then on until now has been beneficial to the learners, teachers, community members or stakeholders.
A Reading Center offers a variety of reading materials like fairy tales, legends, dictionaries, encyclopedias, bible stories, newspapers, magazines and even multimedia sources e.g. videos, etc. It is filled in with a collection of all kinds of books, be it fiction books and non-fiction books that match users’ interests and abilities. Definitely, all of the reading materials available address to the needs and targets of the readers so as to engage and motivate them to read the books with the titles displayed attractively.
One cannot underestimate the big value of a Reading Center. It can provide very effective flat forms for promoting reading improvement and development. The center not only fosters positive attitude in which reading is no longer viewed as teachers demanding hard work but as a pleasurable part of learning. It encourages and helps the learners with their reading after class time. Furthermore, it also inspires children to explore and learn through self-discovery likewise it invites children to practice reading and it encourages responsibility and independence. In addition, the Reading Center provides an excellent means of building schema so one can expect that the pupils will come to read English not only skillfully, but with pleasure as well.
By: Jason A. Lacson | T-I | Orani North Elem. School | Orani, Bataan
