5 Reasons to Read Daily

Here at Total Teaching we place a large portion of our time focusing on reading. Reading has many benefits for people of all ages. It allows us to relax and unwind, increase our knowledge base and have better cognitive skills. In this post I will discuss the importance of reading and why Total Teaching has made it the focal point of our language acquisition programme.

Vocabulary

All readers increase their vocabulary when they read. When we read we are exposed to new vocabulary and are given the opportunity to see vocabulary repeated and used in different contexts. This helps us develop our own understanding of the language and better use it in our own lives. At Total Teaching we identify new and key vocabulary and look for a deeper understanding of the language to transfer the connection from the text to the students themselves.

Knowledge Acquisition

When we read we acquire more knowledge. Reading requires us to increase our memory. In a narrative we are remembering characters, understanding their relationships with others, following along with the plot as it develops but also maintaining important details to reference later in the text. Mental development from reading increases your learning capacity. When we read we acquire new knowledge as well develop skills to continue to learn.

Critical Thinking

When we read we develop critical thinking skills. Reading forces us to think about and make judgements on the information we receive. We do this in multiple ways, a short list of examples that we use here at total teaching are: Identification - we identify key information and assess its relevance then retain the information to research further. Research - we look for confirmation in other sources, we compare arguments and we look for biases in the arguments or ourselves. Infer - we infer and draw conclusions based on the information received and make judgements about the information that is not explicit. This is a vital skill for every reader to develop and transfer into their lives.

Increases Focus, Relieves Stress

In order to achieve the above statements you need to be fully engaged and focused on the task of reading. Reading increases focus and concentration. By getting children to read daily you allow them to maintain a positive routine that will develop their concentration skills and has them engaged and fully connected to the story they have read. When children read or are read to it helps them calm and relax. This is evident when a child has been upset and is struggling to comprehend an incident. Reading distracts them from the issue, allows them to concentrate on a completely new setting and then can let go of their previous feelings or focus on them in a much calmer fashion.

Improves Academic Success

At Total Teaching we believe reading is a transferable skill that will bring students academic success in all areas of their education. We need the obvious, to know how to read. However in a range of subjects we must be able to understand vocabulary, acquire knowledge and think critically of a problem in a situation. All subjects take a range of skills that can be acquired by developing reading.

Most importantly, reading is fun, easy and can improve all of our lives. Any person that doesn’t like reading hasn’t been exposed to what they love. There is something for everyone, whether that is a biography, a fantasy or a story about people just like you or me. Reading will find a way to improve all learners.