It was when I entered the National Library Service’s annual
reading competition, I found out how fun reading can be. One of the books that
I got to read was titled ‘til am laid to rest,’ written by Garfield Ellis. The
book had me hooked, it was an excellent piece. I recently read a novel titled
‘Lifeguard’ by James Patterson; it was a marvelous, explicitly brilliant novel.
With the data that is now available on educatejamaica.org
which highlights that only a mere 25% of high schools in Jamaica that were able
to produce students with five (5) or more CSEC subjects, which are the minimum
requirement to matriculate to a tertiary institution, the blame game starts
again. While many are blaming teachers; teachers are complaining about the many
factors that affect students’ learning such as lack of resources, socioeconomic
background, and students’ cognitive level, among others.
Recently I picked up an Observer which was from 2011, and I
saw an article about ‘failing schools.’ The content of the article was no
different from what I have been reading now. I have noticed that we are master
critics, but amateurs in providing and executing solutions. One columnist
mentioned that we must target early childhood and improve the quality of
education at that level, with such, I concur. For whatever happens at this
level, sets the foundation for academic success.
However, based on UNICEF, Jamaica’s literacy level is at
87%, compared to our Caribbean neighbors Barbados, whose literacy level is at
99.7%, we asked ourselves, what is it that they are doing that we aren’t? If we
ought to produce effective citizen, improve our education system, then we need
to improve our literacy level. As such, I also urge the government to intervene
at the early childhood level. Instead of saying students must not leave high
school and cannot read, a child should not leave basic school and cannot read,
unless that child has a learning disorder that will prevent him/her from doing
so.
“Research findings in applied linguistics and reading
research consistently show a strong correlation between reading proficiency and
academic success at all ages. From primary school to university,” says E.
Pristorius, a linguist. Good readers can understand the individual sentences
and the organizational structure of the piece of writing. They can comprehend
ideas, arguments and detect implications. When parents and teachers encourage
reading, it improves proficiency in the English Language, improves academic
success, improves literacy level and by extension, improves our educational
outcome. The importance of reading cannot be overemphasized.
Linguists suggest that there is an important stage in every
child’s life referred to as early literacy development. Researchers highlight
that there are factors which affect such development, oral language being among
them. The stronger a child's oral language development, the greater is the
literacy success. Because increased literacy correlates to enhanced learning
ability and sharper critical reasoning skills, an emphasis on oral language
gives children a proven foundation for dramatically accelerated success in
life. At this stage, parents are to expose their children to a lot of reading
material. Reading and oral language are mutual inclusive – like mutualism in
symbiosis. Research tells
us that those children who have strong oral language skills often have strong
reading and writing skills. We should encourage reading at all levels; less
Candy Crush, less Temple Run, less Subway Surf and more reading.
Kenroy Davis is an educator and commentator on social issues. Email feedback to: kenroy.davis20@gmail.com
