Written by Mathusan Subramanian
Incorporating a reading program in my English class has significantly helped my language skills and academic performance. Allowing students to have a reading program will enable us to improve vocabulary, reading fluency, and comprehension. Personally, I have noticed an improvement in understanding and reading complex texts.
One key benefit of a reading program is the ability to read fluently. Fluency is a very important factor when it comes to reading, presentations and speaking in general. When incorporating reading into our daily routines we get used to different grammar structures and become familiar with new vocabulary. This extends our knowledge of English and allows us to develop our reading and speaking skills.
In addition, a reading program allows us to develop critical thinking skills. This is because when we engage with different stories, characters, and experiences it gives us a different level of understanding. It helps nurture empathy as we learn to see things from different points of view. Developing my critical thinking has not only helped me in English but also other subjects such as math. Math has been a hard subject for me but using critical thinking skills to approach the questions differently and problem solve has helped me a lot.
Lastly, a reading program helps to create a love for learning. While reading exposes us to a variety of topics and story lines it sparks our curiosity to learn about new topics. For example, when I read the Percy Jackson series it sparked my curiosity to learn about mythology and the Greek gods. A regular reading routine can therefore help us in learning new things, which allows us to grow our overall knowledge as an individual.
In conclusion, a reading program offers a wide range of benefits. It strengthens language skills, helps improve critical thinking, and sparks curiosity to fuel learning. It is also important that students develop their reading skills because they are essential as they move on in life. It is clear that a reading program positively impacts children and supports future success in school and life.
Mathusan Subramanian
Grade 9 Student, TDSB