Where Is Our Gift of Reading?

Introduction:All of us receive and give gifts during ouryears. Remember this dear reader. Prior to 900 A.D.
life while on mother earth. Some of these giftsthe world read aloud until Seymour Simon, the scribe
become old and torn, others are no longer relevant inmade a discovery, white spaces; Gutenberg elevated
our lives as we grow older and some, which wemanuscript culture to an art form; Sputnik gave us
receive are given to others on Christmas or otherecology which became an art form; and electronic
holidays and occasions. But one gift given to me bymedia forged ahead in western culture, while oral
my mother and grandmother is still retained. Which istraditions dominate eastern culture, not because
the gift of reading on a regular or consistentbooks, television or electronic media are not readily
basis.ForwardThe reality that more impressions areavailable and every society realizes the value of
received from reading than from all other sourceslistening to an oral presentation, coupled with visually
combined, is more relevant to me today, than it wasfollowing along, while reinforcing this process with
in my younger years. I obviously dreamed or thoughtrecital. So why not eliminate an obstacle to reading
that all of my fellow human beings also read on aby revisiting or renewal of oral traditions. Just
regular basis, that is until a National Endowment forremember this picture of your grandfather with you
the Arts Survey in 2004 was revisited in light ofsitting on his knee long after he has left mother
recent studies which indicate a national decline inearth and do what your heart says for you to
math skills, the inability to find well known counties ondo.Drudgery Not PleasureA man in the mid 1600s
a map of the world, what seems to be a generalnamed Antonio di Marco Magliabechi confessed that
decline of ethics or morality in business and withhe could read, comprehend and memorize entire
respect to our elderly, defenseless children and sovolumes at a rapid rate, yet when we were reading
forth.NEA SurveyWhile the reasons for a decline inDick and Jane in the first grade it took hours, the
reading are not spelled out in the NEA study and wereading list in high school and college took weeks to
are left to ponder this decline which is across gender,complete, leaving very little time for actual study or
ethnicity, age and education lines, we can none thegoing to the movie show and then we realized the
less evaluate the decline based upon our ownproblem. We just read too slowly, did not remember
experience by exploring some of the major obstaclesvery much of what we had read, what we did
to reading on a regular or consistent basis.Obstaclesremember was not retained from reading until test
To Regular or Consistent ReadingNot Reading Totime. Reading became drudgery not a pleasure, until
SomeoneFew pictures will invoke fonder memories ofEvelyn Wood burst upon the scene with a few
reading or being read too, than a picture of a child indiscoveries, which firmly established speed-reading.
a grandfather's lap, looking up as if to grasp andReading at last became a pleasure. While our readers
understand every word uttered, while themay agree or disagree with what has been written,
grandfather smiles as he reads, in enjoyment a storyis there any one of us who would not gladly trade
or nursery rhyme which was read to him as a child,our current reading or not reading habit for one in
by an adult.The value of reading to our children waswhich we can triple reading speed with the same
called into question by Jean Piaget, whose researchcomprehension or better?ConclusionsWhile there are
showed children are not ready to learn until the agemany more obstacles to our friend, reading, this
of six or seven; teaching styles were thought to beshort list is at least an excellent start. Now having
the problem and rote was replaced by phonics; brainsaid that and written this paper, I must contemplate
science was becoming of age and baby speak or talkthe reaction to having a published something to read,
gained greater acceptance as fact rather than fancy;which just may benefit non- readers who have not
Sesame Street came to television and our verybeen exposed to the value of reading on a regular
young associated a visual presentation to learningand continuing basis. Perhaps you dear reader could
subject or object; and in our quest for materialhelp by engaging in our oral traditions by telling
objects and just getting by, our children were literallysomeone about this article, and then let them read
forced to find books as a companion to replace thethe article and both of you reinforcing by discussion
lack of parenting.While we can either agree orwhat has been learned.
disagree with any or all of what has been presentedWho really knows, if you give a child or adult the
so far, none of us would discount a value of Lent,gift of reading, the gift may be the greatest gift
which to we Catholics is giving up something likegiven or received. Now let your mind wander and
cigarettes, but apply this objective in reverse, byponder the how and why.Citations:History of Speed
doing something of value we do not do at present,Reading and Evelyn Wood, by H. Bernard Wechsler,
like read. To ourselves, to our children, to an audienceMarch 31, 2003
and in the process develop diction, self-confidenceThe Reading Matrix, Volume 1, Number 1, April 2001
and a feeling of self worth as a parent and worldNational Endowment for the Arts Survey, 2002
citizen.Lack of Oral TraditionAnother picture, whichSchools Attuned Online, All Kinds of Minds,
comes to our minds at birthdays and other occasions,1999-2006
is that of a loved one who took the time withKump, Peter (1988). Break-through rapid reading.
children and other adults to recall a mind-bogglingNew York: Prentice Hall.
story, which we can remember even in our laterRedway, Kathryn (1999).