Education | ED03 | Summer 2016

Sponsored by
Tunbridge Wells
Developing
a life-long
love of books
Despite all the digital options available to children these days, it’s still
possible to instill a love of reading, says John Graham-Hart
Credit: Dulwich Prep
When I was a child, I loved
reading. It was escape,
entertainment, adventure
and a way of finding out things about
what really interested me that day. Its
only competition for my attention was
sport and Children’s Hour. However,
this, as my sons so sensitively point
out, was shortly after the expiration
of the last pterosaur and times
have changed, changed utterly.
For today’s child, digital media
meet all the above requirements and,
by and large, in a far more exciting and
accessible way. Today, a child doesn’t
merely read a story but can become part
of it, play the lead role and personally
affect twists and turns in the plot.
Where I read words and looked at
pictures of pyramids, they are able to
take virtual reality tours of their passages
and chambers. Never has reading had
so much and such serious competition.
However, the latest trends in book
sales for books in the UK tell a very
interesting and truly extraordinary story.
Yes, sales of books continue to decline
almost across the genre board – except,
that is, in one very significant area –
children’s books. Sales of both children’s
fiction and non-fiction are on the rise –
particularly the latter which is growing,
year on year, by a whopping 35 per cent.
The message is clear – the choice
of popular fiction and non-fiction
has never been greater. So, how do we
encourage children to take full advantage
of this new literary cornucopia? How
do we encourage them to read?
According to Kathryn Bender, Head
of Nursery and pre-prep at Saint Ronan’s
School near Hawkhurst, it’s a matter
of engagement. She stresses that an
experienced reader reading to children
will have them captivated and engrossed
in the story and this, in turn, will lead
to their wanting to read for themselves.
“Children love the pictures and
feel of books and the familiarity of
re-reading much-loved stories,” she
says. “My class once wrote to Roald
Dahl and he wrote back, ‘If when
you are young you read just one book
that is so funny and exciting that
you fall in love with it then there is
a good chance that this little love
affair with a single book will convince
you that reading is terrific fun.’”
Saint Ronan’s Deputy Head,
Matthew Brian, stresses that the
teaching of reading and phonics has
developed enormously since parents
were learning and it’s always worth
talking to teachers about the way in
which children learn at school. “What
is essential is to prioritise reading and
make it a daily event wherever possible,”
he says. “The reinforcement at home
will make everything come together
more quickly in the early days.
“Just as children want to take their
birthday present and play with their
parents – not be left by themselves with
only their imagination for company
– so with reading it needs to be a
shared experience. Laughing together,
being excited about what comes next
– these are bonding opportunities
not to be missed,” says Matthew.
Fiona Booth, Librarian at Dulwich
Prep, near Cranbrook, notes that if
there is one technological change that
she would highlight as being a very
positive influence on children’s reading,
it would be the ability to download
audiobooks. “All children can listen to
stories that challenge them beyond their
reading ability and listening can foster
a love of stories,” she says. “Audiobooks
are the next best thing to a parent who
is prepared endlessly to read aloud.”
She stresses that developing a
love of reading is vital. “According to
UNESCO, the biggest single indicator
of whether a child is going to thrive
at school and in work is whether or
not that child reads for pleasure,” she
says. “Reading fiction enables children
to imagine and identify with lives
and situations beyond the boundaries
of their own experience. It is both a
relaxing escape from a demanding world
and a means by which the growing
child can determine what sort of person
they are and want to be,” she says.
25 www.wealdentimes.co.uk