Teach English in GongjiAping Zhen - Yongzhou Shi

Reading is a skill that people should acquire from the early childhood. A book is a treasure that produces inspiration, strong knowledge, morality and pleasure. This activity stimulates people to shape their personality, to nurture their character and to create a particular set of precious values and principles that will guide them in life. Reading books continually determines people to discover themselves better, to perceive appropriately the environment they live in and to understand the people, events that happen around them. It makes people rich spiritually and contributes to the formation of a healthy and solid personality. Once they comprehend the circumstances of their living medium, people have the possibility to construct their own appreciation concerning the different issues of the society, taking attitude in various challenging situations that they experience day by day. Children have to be stimulated, motivated and most of all, educated to read from the early childhood so that it becomes a regular pleasant custom. The first consideration in this regard is that parents should start reading to their children as much as possible from the very beginning of their life. The manner in which parents initiate this activity is decisive because afterwards they might confront with other specific difficulties with their children at particular ages. It is essential to set a regular time to be devoted to reading every day so that it becomes a family tradition. For example, in the evening, before going to bed, parents may read to their infants different stories and fairy tales being accompanied by a multitude of pictures, which is an immense advantage. This activity represents a great recreation for the children’s mind, especially if they enjoy it and at the same time, it is very educational and productive. While listening, they start to think about what they hear at that very moment and attempt to absorb the content unconsciously. Moreover, children imagine what they hear from their point of view and also based on that, certain ideas arise in their conscience. The other element that contributes significantly beneficially for the things mentioned above to take place is to create a “reading” environment in the house or in their rooms. Persons, who love reading, usually transform some parts of their house into small libraries through collecting them one by one on different occasions. Either they themselves purchase books or they receive them as a gift from someone. It is important to “decorate” the house with colorful books so to be attractive and interesting enough to children, to make them want to open a particular book. Furthermore, children who love reading make good progress and have high results at school as well. Considering this aspect, they have to be encouraged by both parents and teachers occasionally to attend the school library, so to spend their time efficiently being surrounded by plenty of inspirational books. Successful readers frequently grow gradually as readers and inspire other people to practise this form of education as well. In this respect, parents serve and should serve as models worth following for their offsprings. In large measure, children imitate their parents’ manners, behavior, ideas and even words because they believe these are adequate. If parents pay attention and offer importance to the frequency and delight of reading, children will value it progressively and will appreciate its benefits later even if they do not comprehend this aspect so profoundly at an early age. Caring parents spend time reading with their children, listening to them also discussing about the read content. It is relevant to verify subtly the ideas, messages, thoughts the children reproduce from the reading session. Parents have to give priority to this fact, whereas, at times, children prove to be surprising when they interpret the essence of reading. In the period when children read more by themselves, it is useful to enable them to choose what they would like to read. When there is a compatibility between their preferences and what they actually read, children start to do it independently and of pleasure. This phase ensures the continuous process of reading in a child’s life and they even can fall in love with this activity. Instilling a love of reading in children is one of the best gifts that parents can offer to them. It demonstrates they care about their children’s future, success and educational prospects. Reading is an adventure in knowledge, various emotions, enjoyment and art. The role of the teacher is also substantial in instilling the love for reading in children because at school, pupils have to become motivated in a certain manner to read what is required to. The teacher has to select appropriately the reading materials and topics for children so they are interesting, attractive and relevant to their interests, needs, preferences and age. Therefore, the activities based on them have to be suitable and should imply a lot of discussion, expressing opinions and interpretation of the reading essence. Reading helps people in every sphere of their lives. It supports them to succeed in school and later in their careers as well. This activity also contributes to the growth and evolution of persons as individuals and distinct personalities. Through discovering new information all the time, people perceive their own feelings better and more than that, they could be able to imagine the feelings of others too. Parents should read to their children, listen to them while reading and certainly discuss with them about what they read because reading remains to be the key to wisdom and success in life.