Hozefa A Bhinderwala - Small Steps To Big Reading: Converting Non-Readers Into Readers

SMALL STEPS TO BIG READING

SMALL STEPS TO BIG READING

Converting Non-readers into Readers

Dr Hozefa A Bhinderwala

First published in India 2016

2016 by Dr Hozefa A Bhinderwala

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10Speed Kills DistractionsJust Read Fast

11Emboldening ConfidenceBy Increasing Vocabulary

12Believing In SelfComprehension Will Catch Up

13Regular PracticeSharpens Skill, Authoritative Feel

14Different Reading Material

15The Reading Environment

16Enjoying The BenefitsGrowing Ahead Fast

17Sharing The SkillMaintaining The Habit

18Further Reading Enhancement

Allah, whose guidance, will, and faith, have put it into my system to try, and work on this project.

An enormous thanks for all his providencebe it material, intellectual and spiritual, for it is He who does and provides while we try to take credit for what we achieve.

My Mother, Shirinbai, who fostered the need for education at all costs. She was herself willing to learn the English language even in her late 40s, setting an example. She did not mind sitting behind ten-year-old children with her husband, in the neighbourhood night school.

My Father, Sheikh Abbasbhai, who enkindled optimism in my spirit. His faith in the Almighty and the belief that all problems can be solved with a will to try have been energisers for life. When asked if I could do something big, his responseIf it is good and has not yet been done, it means, you should be the one doing it, still ring loudly in my ears every time I have to fight self-doubt.

My Brothers:

Shk Shabbirbhai, Saifeebhai, M Kutbuddinbhai and Mustafabhai who sacrificed their education very early on so that the younger brothers would get the best of it and who supported Dad in consolidating his business. They continue to be my pillars of strength and have always been there for me as role models.

Shk Moizbhai who has been my inspiration for self-belief and his ability to solve problems and do just about anything under the sun.

Shirajbhai, whose multifaceted talents and amazing patience have shaped my earlier childhood. A friend to talk to and the kind of ideal sounding board without whom this life is incomplete.

My Sisters-in-law:

Nafisabhabhi, Munirabhabhi, Rummanabhabhi and Faridabhabhi, who prevented my collapse after the early demise of my mother, and did everything in and beyond their reach to ensure I wouldnt be considered a motherless child. They always encouraged me in my academic pursuits.

Rababbhabhi and Naseemabhabhi, who though, they were away geographically always supported my educational goals.

My Teacher:

Mr Joel DSouza, who has been very generous to proofread the manuscript, and has taught me that learning is an ongoing process. His command over the English language and its nuances are second only to God.

My Art Team:

Mrs Kavita Nitin Takane and Ms Jumana Attari for their beautiful illustrations, which have breathed life and soul into this collection of words and made it worth picking up.

My Back Office:

My wife Tasneem, my kidsFatema and Taher, my niece Zainab Kader for guiding me put the illustrations and text in place and helping me retain my sanity despite of the chaos all around me, what with the demands of clinical practice and only 24 hours per day.

Lastly, but most importantly, the Staff at Bloomsbury

Mr. Mahendra Lodha, who was open to and accepted the concept.

Mr. Praveen Tiwari, who I have hounded and occasionally harassed with my impulsivity, and was still patient and supportive.

Mr. Arvind Booni, whose brainstorming and positive promotional concepts infused new energy in me.

Mr. Nitin Valecha and Ms. Ila Garg, under whose watchful eyes, the book has been scrupulously edited.

The Other Here Unnamed Staff at Bloomsbury who have helped my thoughts get inked and printed on paper.

Compared to three decades ago, before the advent of the personal computers, the number of people who took to serious reading of books is certainly on the decline. One cannot deny the fact that the value of reading in todays changing times has drastically dropped. This dearth of book reading exists across all ages, but mostly by the parents of school-going children. Some common comments heard every day include:

But I am not a reader.

Just read for my exams. Anything extra, Count me out.

Are you crazy? Reading is not for me.

If I had been a reader, Id probably be doing something else.

Big fat books are good for decorating studies and libraries, just not my cup of tea.

I wish I could read; I could do so much more with my life.

I wish my children would read instead of being stuck on digital screens.

Many factors nullify the interest in reading very early in life. Some of them could be:

Rigid family members who impose compulsive reading, regardless of the willingness on part of the children.

Rivalry with a sibling who is exceptionally good with his/her reading skills

Having a strict unforgiving authoritative teacher

Lack of interest in the subject

Fear of not doing well in the subjects and fear of failure in exams

Inadequate exposure to interesting and understandable reading material

Frustration over the fact that though the text matter in books increases as one grows, additional reading skills are never imparted [unlike Mathematics, where after being taught numbers and basic operations (+, , , and ), detailed instructions are given for further complicated mathematical operations, and the children are not left by themselves to derive the theories of trigonometry]