“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you’ll learn, the more places you’ll go.”
A saying about reading where in it implies how important reading was.
Every teacher wants their pupils to have fluency in reading skills. As a matter of fact, the Department of Education formulated different programs to bring back the interest of school children. The ECARP or Every Child A Reader Program is a national program that addresses the thrust of DepED to make every Filipino child a reader at his/her own level.
Teachers play a vital role in reading skills of their pupils. There are some important reasons why teachers make a big effort for pupils in exposing the value of reading in earlier age.
First, reading will lead them to academic excellence. One of the primary benefits of reading to pupils is a higher aptitude for learning in general. Children with high standards of reading develop a higher thinking skill. They may perform well in class because they can easily understand what their teachers presented to them. Pupils who read a lot and who understand what they read usually attain good grades. Teachers conduct various reading activities in schools and other learning facilities that will enhance their reading skills among are Read-a-Thon, “Drop Everything and Read (Dear)” and remedial reading classes for children.
Moreover, if pupils have skills in reading, they preferably become a good communicator. They can easily express themselves, their ideas and emotions with regards to the topic and characters in the book they read. The pupils can now interact to their teachers which will nourish their brain and lead for having a good communication skill. Teachers should guide them how to communicate in a healthy way.
A teacher who makes reading as a form of enjoyment for pupils is an effective way to stimulate their interest in printed books. It is essential that pupils should not get bored or tired during reading time. For this, teachers use different motivational techniques to kindle their attentions on reading such as pair reading, story-telling and the shared reading or readers’ mentoring program, where older students are encouraged to assist younger readers with reading difficulties.
The role of a teacher is really significant in reading skills of a child. Once the child has the mastery of reading, he/she will have the knowledge which is capable for him/her to explore the world towards a better future.
By: Melody C. Mañalac
