There has been a lot of concern about the state of reading in this country. This paper carried an editorial on the subject recently. Nearly everyone laments the absence of what they call a reading culture. But few bother to look into why this is so and so do not offer any remedies. Indeed, some of those lamenting loudest do not read themselves. Of course there have been some initiatives, like reading camps and ‘Soma Rwanda’. We will probably see other fire brigade responses. But these do not adequately address the fundamental question why there is little reading. Reading (or lack of it) is not the only thing causing concern. Language education in general, whether it is English, French or even Kinyarwanda also does. There is no surprise there. All language learning is about exposure to the target language. Reading provides some of that exposure and is connected to language education. According to J.A. Bright, reading provides the situation in which learning takes place. Where there is little reading, there will be little language learning, especially where there is no other direct experience, i.e. no native speakers, of that language. Those of a certain generation remember the part his Junior English Composition and Gramma and Patterns and Skills in English played in their learning of English in primary and secondary school respectively. But we read for other reasons. Some read for pleasure or because they love books. Others do it because they are looking for some specific information they need to perform a task. Or they just have to do it as an assignment or as a requirement. Professional competence after school depends on it. Further education depends on the quantity and quality of reading as does general knowledge. It is needed to build imagination and creativity. But reading is not simply acquired. It is a skill (together with speaking, listening and writing) that is learnt. It can be taught and developed, and as has already been pointed out, exposure is important. The starting point is the home. Parents should make available reading materials, of course age appropriate and of varied interest. Children will go through them, find out what they like and relate to it, probably for life. The affluent give them smart phones and tablets. They could give them books as well. Some parents read to their children. Others narrate stories from folklore. This is not simply a routine or passive bedtime activity. It is part of active learning as it arouses curiosity, develops emotional responses to different situations, and cultivates future interests. All learning begins with curiosity and this leads to interest that may be lifelong. More importantly parents should read and their children should see them do so. They learn by example and parents are the primary role models. Sadly, many do not. The next stage is school. The situation is similar to the home. Teachers should provide reading materials to their pupils. Perhaps we can ask whether there are enough or suitable reading materials available in schools. The answer is probably not. It seems we put a lot of emphasis on text books and little on other kinds of reading materials. There should also be story books, biographies, science fiction, and even how-to-do books. Children should be guided to these. They will be able to identify those that interest them the most and teachers should be able to spot the more interested readers and give them more to read. They can only do that if they also read. In addition, like parents, they are very important models from which their students learn a lot, both good and bad habits. We have to admit that most of our teachers do not read much, as indeed most of society. At school, reading is more structured than at home. It is taught as part of the language syllabus, from the production of individual sounds in a word to sentences and then whole texts. In all this there is one cardinal point to bear in mind. Reading should not be seen as a task, but something to enjoy. That is how lifelong interest is be developed. Reading is important. The point cannot be overstated. To quote Francis Bacon, a Renaissance English philosopher and statesman, “Reading maketh a full man …..and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not.” And so, beyond lamenting the absence of a reading culture and blaming children for it, we should provide materials and environment for it to develop, set the example and give the right encouragement. Much responsibility lies with parents and teachers. The views expressed in this article are of the writer.
