Why is playing important?
Paulo Freire cites that »the young should sing, scream, paint their faces, go out into the streets, fill the squares, and demonstrate against lies, deceit, and shamelessness. They should – while accepting the indispensable limit to freedom, the only way freedom can be real – fight against the abuse of power… Defence of freedom and alertness to its betrayal are democratic duties that we cannot neglect whether young or not. Moreover, protesting against the ethical slips of morally incompetent authorities is not only a way of studying and learning, but also a way of deepening knowledge and strengthening democracy.«
Why is reading important?
»The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.«
Mark Twain
Reading is fundamental to function in today's society. There are many adults who cannot read well enough to understand the instructions on a medicine bottle. That is a scary thought – especially for their children. Filling out applications becomes impossible without help. Reading road or warning signs is difficult. Our environment is testing our reading skills many times. Timetables for buses, directions and the understanding of maps are the key to move independently without any help. The more independently we can move, the more grows our self-esteem.
Reading is a vital skill in finding a good job. Many well-paid jobs require reading as a part of job performance. There are reports and memos which must be read and responded to. Poor reading skills increase the amount of time it takes to absorb and react in the workplace. A person is limited in what they can accomplish without good reading and comprehension skills.
Reading is important because it develops the mind. The mind is a muscle. It needs exercise. Understanding the written word is one way the mind grows in its ability. To read helps to develop language skills. It also helps to learn to listen. Everybody wants to talk, but few can really listen. Lack of listening skills can result in major misunderstandings.
Why is reading important? It is how we discover new things. Books, magazines, and even the internet are great learning tools which require the
ability to read and understand what is said. A person who knows how to read can educate themselves in any area of life they are interested in. We live in an age where we
overflow with information, but reading is the main way to take advantage of it. Through books we learn more about other people, different cultures, other countries and
their histories. Knowledge makes intelligent and helps to build an own opinion – and to stand up and/or defend that opinion.
Who reads knows more!
Reading develops the imagination. TV and computer games have their place, but they are more like amusement. Amusement comes from two words »a« [non] and »muse« [think]. Amusement is non-thinking activities. With reading a person can go anywhere in the world... or even out of it! They can be a king, or an adventurer, or a princess, or... the possibilities are endless. Non-readers never experience these joys to the same extent. Reading is an active action, instead of a passive action like watching TV. A book is challenging the reader to pay attention and to have your own imagination about places, people and many other, different things. Start to develop your creative side!
Why is reading important? Let's keep going... Good reading skills improve spelling. When you as students learn to sound out letters and words,
spelling comes easier. Also, reading helps to expand the vocabulary. Reading new words puts them in their mind for later use. Seeing how words are used in different
contexts can give a better understanding of the word usage and definitions than the cold facts of a dictionary.
The way how we communicate and express our thoughts through words are trained by active reading. Communication is important to explain problems and mistakes, especially in
a school.
There is an old saying, »The pen is mightier than the sword.« Ideas written down have changed the destiny of men and nations for better or worse. The floe of ideas cannot be stopped. We need to read and research to build on the good ideas and expose the bad ideas. The fact of the power of written ideas communicated through reading is a reason why some governments oppose free and honest communication. Illiterate people are easier to control and manipulate. They cannot do their own research and thinking. They must rely on what they are told and how their emotions are swayed.
Finally – why is reading important? Reading is important because words – spoken and written – are the building blocks of life. You are, right now, the result of words that you have heard or read AND believed about yourself. What you become in the future will depend on the words you believe about yourself now. People, families, relationships and even nations are built from words. Think about it.
P.S. Do me one favour; never start reading a book if you actually do not have the time to.