Abu Faruk :
Books as true friends quench the thirst for knowledge and remove the darkness of the mind. Good books are the main source of unadulterated joy by removing mental sadness. Not only does the book relate to information or knowledge, it expands our horizons as well as improves and expands perspectives. Books are the bearers and carriers of civilization.
Apart from reading books, people of all classes and professions are now using the device as a tool for leisure and relief from exhaustion. Seeing adults in the family, most of the children and teenagers nowadays also have devices like mobile phones and laptops as their retirement companions. Reading books is becoming more of a necessity than a habit. As a result, they are not interested in reading books. Their focus is on games, cartoons, songs, etc. outside of the prescribed textbooks. This is harming their both physical and intellectual development.
The campaign is going on to cultivate the inner talent and creativity of the students by creating interest in the content of the lessons in the minds of the students by applying enjoyable methods using the text related materials in the classroom teaching. Children are naturally curious. A few textbooks are not enough to arouse their interest. Most of their real talents cannot be developed if they are busy with the boundaries of the syllabus. In order to awaken their latent thinking power, it is necessary to build the habit of reading books.
Their relationship with textbooks as well as story books on various subjects will improve their reading and writing skills as they become acquainted with the new world. If the content of the book touches their minds, their thinking will be affected. It’s inevitable in an ongoing qualification-based or creative education system. Books are the source of boundless joy for people of any age. Children and teenagers are naturally joy seeker. There is nothing better than a book to bring long-term joy to their minds.
The pictures, characters and dialogues in the book are a source of genuine joy for them. In addition to joy, dialogue in various forms is able to play an important role in the gradual development of their intellect and thinking. Making the book their leisure and entertainment companion is beneficial for both the present and the future. In this way, on the one hand, it will be possible to prevent their online and machine addiction, and on the other hand, it will pave the way for the development of young talent. Reading books develops their imagination. In addition to speaking skills, memory and vocabulary also increase.
If regular book reading activities are introduced in the educational institutions through joyful competitions outside the subject teaching, the importance of reading books among children and adolescents will increase and it will also play an effective role in forming reading habits. Undoubtedly, the ‘Book Reading’ program of Biswa Sahitya Kendra is an excellent example in this regard. The family and the educational institution as well as the society have a responsibility in this regard. It is possible to speed up the book reading program by setting up area based libraries through integrated initiatives. This is because, in order to ensure the benefits of the current competency-based curriculum of formal education, there is no alternative but to increase the writing skills of the students by increasing their interest, thinking and vocabulary.
Class-based textbooks, guides, notes, etc. are not enough to develop their imagination and creative attitude. Learning is not fruitful if the students do not have questions in their minds and do not get proper answers to the questions. The textbook of the prescribed body cannot meet the need to know about nature, society, state and above all various important issues of the world. Therefore, the need to read books outside the textbook is undeniable.
There is no substitute for reading books to make a child or teenager happy, to develop reading habits and to develop reading skills, to develop thinking and creativity, to increase vocabulary, to increase writing skills, to develop intellectually, to develop a healthy culture with human values. The path of building a meritorious and creative nation will be ensured if book reading can be turned into a social campaign with the joint initiative of family, educational institutions and society.
(Mr. Faruk is a Teacher)
