The Importance Of Reading

It is interesting how nowadays we almost ignore the importance of READING. We take it for granted and we are not aware of what our lives would be like if we were not able to read. Not only is reading a useful tool to deal with the world around us, but also a window. A window to knowledge, to information, to entertainment... Therefore, under no circumstances should we underestimate it.

As we grow older, our reading habits change. Most of us are introduced to the world of literature by our closest relatives, who share some time with us before going to bed reading aloud the most extraordinary stories. Later on, we visit libraries and bookshops, we are given titles to read at school and we also flirt with new ways of approaching the habit (e-books, tablets…).

In my case, I have always read for pleasure but I also do it because it is a fundamental part of my work. I read in the morning when I prepare my classes or when I check the latest news on my mobile phone, I read at work and, finally, I read at home to relax; sometimes paper books and sometimes digital editions. To be honest, I almost exclusively read in English since I truly believe it is the perfect way to keep learning while having a great time.

Having said that, as an English teacher I always try to provide my students with appropriate reading material, real if possible, to make them understand that if they read for pleasure in their mother language they can also do it in English. It is also paramount to let them choose what to read, since making students read something compulsorily might be counter-productive.