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Supporting a reading culture in Ghana</h1>
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<span class="gmail-"><span><time datetime="2018-08-13T10:04:18+00:00">Date: Aug 13 , 2018 , 10:04</time></span></span>
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<span class="gmail-"><span>BY: Anis Haffar</span></span>
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<span class="gmail-"><span>Category: <span class="gmail-bd-post-metadata-category-name">Opinion</span></span></span>
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<h2>For thousands of years, parents and teachers learned the art of raising children through grandparents, aunts, uncles, and <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_73 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_spell gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-ContextualSpelling gmail-multiReplace" id="gmail-73">neighbours</span>
in traditional societies. These days, with people living far from
traditional families in isolated communities, changes have become
necessary; but the value of sharing knowledge through other people’s
experiences still persists<span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_111 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Style gmail-replaceWithoutSep" id="gmail-111">.</span></h2>
<p><span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_111 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_disable_anim_appear gmail-Style gmail-replaceWithoutSep" id="gmail-111">In</span>
that same vein, learning for a particular vocation required being
physically present with masters almost daily for years. These days,
reading do-it-yourself books and connecting with other people from the
internet helps to put people, expertise <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_75 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Punctuation gmail-only-ins gmail-replaceWithoutSep" id="gmail-75">and</span> societies together without boundaries. At the root of all that is the ability to learn to read, and read to learn.</p>
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<h3>The GNAPS initiative for 2018</h3>
<p>The theme, “Promoting a reading culture: A key to the information
age” by the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) at the
British Council (February 22, 2018) was a most fitting reminder for
2018.</p>
<p>It was refreshing to hear the President of GNAPS, <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_70 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Punctuation gmail-only-ins gmail-replaceWithoutSep" id="gmail-70">Mr</span>
Eric Appiah, say that “it is increasingly becoming necessary to visit
one of the most important outcomes of education, which is reading with
critical thinking which our language policy seeks to address”. He
asserted, “We cannot afford to keep our children in ignorance whiles we
live in a world where knowledge abounds.”</p><div style="text-align:center;width:100%;height:auto;clear:none" class="gmail-google-auto-placed gmail-ap_container"><ins style="display:block;margin:auto;background-color:transparent" class="gmail-adsbygoogle gmail-adsbygoogle-noablate"><ins id="gmail-aswift_3_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:144px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:574px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="gmail-aswift_3_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:144px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:574px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins></div>
<p>The General Secretary, Justice King Essiel, corroborated that in
these days of technological advancements, we need to apply the best
practices for the efficient management of educational systems. In
developing learners to discover and acquire skills and communicate, it
is necessary to make responsible use of digital technology.</p>
<h3>“The guests of your mind” </h3>
<p>Going through my video archives, I chanced upon an interview with TV
Africa years back. The host asked why it was important to read. My
response was that when you read the best books, you will have as “the
guests of your mind” the greatest people who ever lived since the
beginning of the written language. </p><div align="center">
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<p>Through reading, wherever one finds themselves, there is an abundance
of wisdom and knowledge swirling around, and ready to be disclosed and
shared freely. With that abundance, you decide on the kind of thought
appropriate for any occasion <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_83 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Style gmail-multiReplace" id="gmail-83">and / or</span> purpose. The great thinkers and master <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_69 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_spell gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-ContextualSpelling gmail-ins-del" id="gmail-69">doers</span> are at one’s disposal sharing freely at our bidding. There’s nothing in the world like it.</p>
<p>Reading provides a feast at which one can sit at will, devour freely
and grow in exponential proportions. So much has been prepared for the
nourishment of the mind and soul that to not partake is to waste the
muscles of one’s mind through the lack of use.</p>
<h3>Learning to concentrate</h3>
<p>Every person needs to identify a certain passion or area of interest,
and then concentrate on that, and find all the materials that can be
supportive <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_79 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Grammar gmail-multiReplace" id="gmail-79">in</span>
one’s particular vocation. For example, when I teach young people, one
of the key things for them to acquire is something meditative; and it’s
called concentration. </p><div align="center">
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<p>For starters, they have to learn to concentrate for at least 10 minutes. I <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_91 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Punctuation gmail-only-del gmail-replaceWithoutSep" id="gmail-91">say,</span>
we’re going to read one, two, three paragraphs, and we’re going to take
10 minutes to do that. Having done that, we then discuss what we’ve
read. Then I say, We’re going to read the next two paragraphs and we’re
going to take fifteen minutes to do that.</p>
<p>Come <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_90 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Grammar gmail-only-del gmail-replaceWithoutSep" id="gmail-90">the next</span>
week, we read a particular story, and we take 30 minutes to do it. Step
by step, we follow what may be called “scaffolding”: building on from
an earlier practice. </p>
<p>Realising that now – with the ability to concentrate for 30 minutes -
you can now extend it to 45 minutes, and an hour. It takes practice to
concentrate. But the important thing is that we have to start teaching
them young so they can see the value of concentration and apply to the
discipline to <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_88 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Grammar gmail-multiReplace" id="gmail-88">other subject</span>. People - including children and the youth - will read and continue reading when they see the value in it.</p>
<h3>The language of the disciplines</h3>
<p>What subject in the world can one be adept at if you don’t know the
language of that particular discipline? And it all boils down to
reading. Every subject under the sun has its own vocabulary. If you want
to get into law, it’s got its own vocabulary. If you want to get into
medicine, it’s got its own vocabulary. Engineering has its own
vocabulary.</p>
<p>Even to be a good parent demands a particular discipline which can be
learned. A lot of people think they are parents just because they have
children. There are ways in which one can be a superior parent. And all
of that can border on reading, as we try to emulate particular people
who have raised successful children, and find out how they did it. There
are books now that outline the principles that help to make successful
parenting. </p><div style="text-align:center;width:100%;height:auto;clear:none" class="gmail-google-auto-placed gmail-ap_container"><ins style="display:block;margin:auto;background-color:transparent" class="gmail-adsbygoogle gmail-adsbygoogle-noablate"><ins id="gmail-aswift_4_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:144px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:574px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="gmail-aswift_4_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:144px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:574px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins></div>
<p>Without reading and understanding what we read, we become illiterates
in many avoidable ways. And to be illiterate means to not reflect on
what we do <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_96 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Grammar gmail-multiReplace" id="gmail-96">based</span>
on best practices. No man is an island, so reading is key as it
assembles the best minds to emulate in any arena. We can’t perform
competently in any great society without reading, and <span class="gmail-gr_ gmail-gr_97 gmail-gr-alert gmail-gr_gramm gmail-gr_inline_cards gmail-gr_run_anim gmail-Punctuation gmail-only-ins gmail-replaceWithoutSep" id="gmail-97">frankly</span> the cause of our underdevelopment is due to mass illiteracy.</p></div></div></div>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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