Out of My Mind | Reading is essential to all studies

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Today, many people would rather turn to television, computers and movies for entertainment and education instead of to a book.

A high school senior recently admitted he had not read a book in three years. How did he get through school?

A teacher said text books are boring. How could he possibly incite curiosity and a love of learning in students if he himself doesn’t love books?

This is a busy culture.

People of all ages claim to be too busy to read books, but those same people will sit down in front of a TV in the evenings.

“The problem was underscored last week when the National Endowment for the Arts delivered the sobering news that Americans - particularly teenagers and young adults - are reading less for fun. At the same time, reading scores among those who read less aredeclining, and employers are proclaiming workers deficient in basic reading comprehension skills,” according to Motoko Rich in The New York Times.

Reading flexes thinking, whether reading for enjoyment or learning.

Today’s toddlers are set in front of a television, whereas in generations past, parents read to their children. Studies prove that children who are read to at least 20 minutes a day are better thinkers and students.

Evidence suggests television watching is addictive and decreases thinking skills.

“Alpha Brainwaves add images and visuals; you could view this as escape from reality. Too much alpha activity leads to excessive escapes andtoo many daydreams. Too little makes us human machines: in motion, but without dreams that direct,” according to Ellen Weber in “Brainwaves that Talk Back.”

“While watching television, the brain appears to slow to a halt, registering low alpha wave readings on the EEG. This is caused by the radiant light produced by cathode ray technology within the television set. Even if you’re reading text on a television screen the brain registers low levels of activity. Once again, regardless of the content being presented, television essentially turns off your nervous system,” according to Wes Moore, “Television: Opiate of the Masses.”

“Psychophysiologist Thomas Mulholland found that after just 30seconds of watching television the brain begins to produce alpha waves, which indicates torpid (almost comatose) ratesof activity. Alpha brain waves are associated with unfocused, overly receptive states of consciousness ... watching television is neurologically analogous to staring at a blank wall,” continued Moore.

Parents, read to your children from infancy.

Read to that baby while nursing or feeding a bottle. Read to the toddler and the young student.

“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.” Mark Twain, attributed

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them,” wrote Ray Bradbury, American author, 1994.

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Annette Beard is the managing editor of The Times of Northeast Benton County. A native of Louisiana, she moved to this area in 1980. She has nine children and one grandchild.

She can be reached at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 4 on 07/14/2010