Essay On Reading Habits Essay On Reading Is Good Habit

Essay On Reading Habits 

Knowledge knows no bounds. Even if we follow knowledge like a sinking star, we cannot exhaust it. Reading books contributes to the enrichment of our knowledge in terms of human experience and information. Unfortunately, we, in Pakistan, do not have reading habit. This is the reason that in Pakistan, 70 per cent of the total number of books published, are the text books whereas in the western countries, this percentage is not more than 30 percent.

Once a writer was asked about reasons for low reading habits in our country. His reply was that Pakistan had a tradition of verbal communication of knowledge from one generation to another. Another writer proclaims that those who learnt from written records were the lowest in the rank of the seekers of knowledge.

Even today formal teaching method of imparting knowledge to students is largely based on "note memory", lectures and reproduction. It hardly expects the students to dive into the vast mass of literature in search of knowledge. This method touches students superficially and in effect it has failed to arouse an inner urge among them for self study.

The inculcation of the habit of reading depends upon three factors--pedagogical, bibliothecal and bibliographical. The first concerns teaching which can play an important role. But the teaching profession unfortunately lays emphasis more on achieving short term objectives than on the ultimate goal.

To prepare for examinations, students prefer to consult more diluted note-type text books rather than the standard ones. Teaching should lay stress on self improvement and self development of the students to prepare for adult life. For self improvement, love for books and reading is an essential pre-requisite.

This should be supplemented with the right type of reading material -- the bibliographical factor. Unfortunately, we do not have any reading material for children and adults. Language is another barrier. We are also divorced from the mainstream of literature because there is hardly any translation facility available in the country. So, we do not known anything about what is written in the different parts of the country.

The third factor is the bibliothecal factor. It underlines the role of library as an institution to co-ordinate the activities of former two factors. Them should be libraries and that too rich in collections. The books should be easily available.