{"id":4767,"date":"2026-09-12T15:29:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T09:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/food4thoughtfoundation.org\/journal\/?p=4767"},"modified":"2026-09-12T15:29:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T09:59:53","slug":"please-give-us-time-to-read","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/food4thoughtfoundation.org\/journal\/please-give-us-time-to-read\/","title":{"rendered":"PLEASE GIVE US TIME TO READ"},"content":{"rendered":"

PLEASE GIVE US TIME TO READ<\/p>\n

Opinion | Why Reading Should Not Become Another Homework Task<\/p>\n

Schools often tell students that reading is important.<\/p>\n

Then they give us almost no time to actually do it.<\/p>\n

Our school days are filled with lessons, assignments, tests, projects, activities and deadlines. Reading often survives only as another instruction:<\/p>\n

\u201cRead these pages.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFinish this chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnswer these questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

That may improve comprehension skills, but it does not always create readers.<\/p>\n

There is a difference between learning how to read<\/strong> and wanting to read<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Think about how people discover music. Nobody develops a love for music because someone gives them a worksheet after every song. They listen. They explore. They replay what they like. They discover artists by accident.<\/p>\n

Books need some of that freedom too.<\/p>\n

Imagine if schools protected even twenty minutes of quiet reading time several times a week. Students could select books based on genuine interest: mystery, mythology, sport, science fiction, biographies, comics, history, fantasy or anything appropriate for school.<\/p>\n

No test immediately afterwards.<\/p>\n

No compulsory five-paragraph analysis.<\/p>\n

Just reading.<\/p>\n

Some may argue that students would waste the time.<\/p>\n

Perhaps some would, especially at first. But students also need the opportunity to discover what kind of readers they are.<\/p>\n

A student who says, \u201cI hate reading,\u201d may really mean, \u201cI hate the books I have always been told to read.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another problem is that reading is often treated as productive only when the book is difficult.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

A graphic novel can introduce someone to history. A sports biography can lead to an interest in psychology. A fantasy series can develop vocabulary, imagination and the ability to follow complicated storylines.<\/p>\n

A \u201cserious reader\u201d does not have to look the same for everyone.<\/p>\n

This does not mean schools should abandon literature lessons. Studying great writing teaches us how language works and exposes us to ideas we might never choose on our own.<\/p>\n

But analysis should not consume the entire reading experience.<\/p>\n

Sometimes a book deserves to be read simply because a reader cannot wait to turn the page.<\/p>\n

Libraries can play an important role here too. A good school library should not feel like a storeroom for books. It should feel like an invitation.<\/p>\n

Display new books. Let students recommend titles. Create short peer reviews. Hold book swaps. Allow students to abandon a book they genuinely dislike and choose another.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, make reading visible as something people actually enjoy.<\/p>\n

We constantly say that young people spend too much time scrolling.<\/p>\n

If we want books to compete for their attention, perhaps the solution is not another lecture about why reading matters.<\/p>\n

Maybe we should start by giving them time, choice and a good book<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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