An interview with Prof. K. Elango on the India Reads Movement
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The general secretary of the English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI) explains why the organisation has launched a country-wide movement to promote reading

February 19, 2023 12:44 am | Updated February 20, 2023 01:35 pm IST

Reading is a difficult skill that requires discipline and investment of time

Reading is a difficult skill that requires discipline and investment of time | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Around a decade ago, when visiting bookstores in Bengaluru and Chennai, I used to see many young people enthusiastically reading their favourite books in the children’s section. Rarely do I see children in bookstores now. My fellow educators often ask if reading ceased to be a hobby of young students and whether the present generation realises the importance of reading. Others raise quite different questions: Does reading really matter? Is it necessary to promote reading?

In this context, it is interesting that Dr. K. Elango, general secretary, English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI) and his team have launched the India Reads movement to promote reading in educational institutions. Excerpts from an interview:

K. Elango, general secretary of the English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI) 

K. Elango, general secretary of the English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI)  | Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat

As the brain behind the India Reads movement, could you tell us about the need for it?

The culture of reading is on the decline among all age groups, especially among the e-generation. This cognitive crisis must be halted, otherwise, intellectual decadence will sweep in. Instead of a knowledge-based society, a knowledgeless society will flourish. Civilisational advancements are reversing the use of our physical and cognitive prowess as less is employed nowadays. Reading is a difficult skill that requires discipline and investment of time and energy, which the ‘instant generation’ is reluctant to engage with. Screen reading is hardly a reading, as it lacks intellectual engagement. Some insist more people are reading more often now. This delusional view is based on screen scrolling. The movement’s primary aim is to promote book reading. In cases of inaccessibility, e-reading can be resorted to. The ELTAI believes that “reading is the mother of all skills” and that its loss would lead to the loss of all skills. Therefore, the launch of the movement is necessary.

What are the objectives of India Reads? 

The ELTAI embraces the idea that “reading is caught, not taught”, and aims to inspire a love of reading through a learner-led programme. The organisation believes that when one person reads, their friends and peers are more likely to read as well, creating a ripple effect of peer influence that is more powerful than that of teachers and parents. In order to promote reading for pleasure, the programme focuses on familiarising students with a variety of text genres and reading strategies. Rather than relying on academic textbooks, which have been found to be ineffective in inspiring a love of reading, the programme aims to encourage students to read a wide variety of texts. It also encourages bilingual reading, as it has been shown that reading skills are transferable across languages. 

Who are the people who constitute the India Reads movement?

The organisation is attempting to make reading a community-wide movement involving teachers, students, celebrities, writers, social and mass media, corporates, NGOs, and others to impact young minds and bring about a transformative ecosystem for reading. This effort is meant to be a conscious and ongoing enterprise, rather than a transitory attempt.

With increasing reliance on digital media, some may question the importance of reading in the 21st century. Does reading still matter when many young people believe they can understand the world and their society better through “viewing” than “reading”? Is “reading” still a felt need for today’s generation?

In India, the education ecosystem is different from that of developed countries. It is important not to blindly adopt Western models without considering our learners’ specific needs. Despite the decline of print media in many parts of the world, it continues to thrive in India, indicating a strong reading culture that should be nurtured and encouraged. It is important to remember that shallow viewing can never replace deep, immersive reading. Reading is not necessarily a “felt need” for today’s generation but is essential for their future. Therefore, efforts should be made to encourage and persuade young people to appreciate the value of reading.

How does the ELTAI plan to promote reading among students?

A key initiative is the development of a 100-hour module to engage students in hands-on reading experiences, spread out over two years and tailored to different levels such as primary, secondary, and tertiary.

In addition, ELTAI is working to establish classroom libraries managed by the students themselves to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility. The libraries will be developed through student donations, as well as contributions from parents, corporations, and the general public. The books will be selected based on the students’ interests and preferences. This is a move away from the traditional setup in which libraries are in separate rooms or buildings. Instead, books are made visible and accessible to the students by keeping them in classrooms.

ELTAI is also setting up a Learning Management System (LMS) to make reading materials available and scaffolded by a dedicated team. The organisation is also working to ensure that every student reads at least 50 books during the programme.

Renowned second-language acquisition theorist, Stephen Krashen, stated that much of our language development comes from self-selected reading for pleasure, which includes fiction. He suggests that those who read more have a deeper understanding of a wide variety of subjects, including history and science. Additionally, readers tend to have more empathy and a deeper understanding of others. In order to truly benefit from the power of reading, he argues that readers need access to reading materials that they find both comprehensible and interesting. Do schools in India give importance to ‘reading for pleasure’?

While I agree with Krashen’s views, in the Indian educational context, the emphasis is mostly on “reading for scores” and reading as a “torturous act” rather than a pleasurable act. The reality is that if students were to become committed readers, they would be able to read and understand their English textbook (which is generally 70 to 100 pages leaving out the exercises) in a single day, as opposed to spending an entire academic year on it. This is not only a waste of cognitive resources but also energy and other resources. Moreover, if students were to become good readers, the claims of many ed-tech companies, who capitalise on people’s fears and ambitions, would be rendered meaningless. High academic performers often assert that they rarely require any outsourced help and could become autonomous learners, which can only be achieved by reading on their own. Thus, it is important that the Indian education system starts promoting ‘reading for pleasure’ as a crucial element of learning.

Teachers who read can lead students to read. Do we have such “reading teachers” in our educational institutions?  Does the ELTAI think that it is important to train teachers first and enable them to nurture pleasure reading in students?

The traditional model is to train teachers and through them reach students. This has not yielded desired results. As an alternative, ELTAI believes in directly reaching out to students, with the guidance of “reading teachers,” regardless of the subject or discipline they belong to. These teachers can serve as inspirations, igniters or galvanisers, engaging in pep talks and guiding learners independently when sought.  The ‘teacherish’ aspect is to be avoided for fear of being too prescriptive. The goal is to create autonomous and lifelong learners.

Do you think social media can be used to promote reading? Does India Reads have any such plan?

Yes, social media is a useful platform to promote reading. Some research studies have found that platforms such as Facebook groups can be used to discuss books, share information, formulate opinions, and so on. India Reads has both FB and Insta groups.

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