Children urged to read during school holidays

By The Nation

 

 

Related agencies have launched a campaign to encourage children to read during their school vacation, with reading touted as a means to ease tension and to fight depression.
 

 

“We have already come up with a list of recommended books,” Sudjai Promkerd from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) said. Most schools in Thailand usually close from March to mid-May every year. 

 

Sudjai added that the list recommends books for different age groups, such as from birth to six; from six to nine; and from nine to 12 years old. 

 

“The list also includes local and foreign literature,” she said, adding that reading provides pleasure, eases stress and reduces depression. 

 

“Research shows that people who read know themselves better and develop greater sympathy for others,” she said. 

 

 

ThaiHealth is conducting the campaign in collaboration with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and National Library. 

 

National Library director Kanok-orn Sakdadej said fun reading events will be organised at the library every day, while Visal Kong-ngern, a senior BMA official, said reading will be promoted at BMA’s 35 libraries and at the Bangkok City Library. 

 

“We are also making five mobile libraries available,” he said.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30366100

 

 -- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-20

By the look of two of them, a book on healthy eating and exercise might be appropriate.

Cartoon TV  is  all they need, that and a bag of Lay crisps for breakfast

1 hour ago, gunderhill said:

Cartoon TV  is  all they need, that and a bag of Lay crisps for breakfast

You've just described my son.

Although he selects his own cartoons on Youtube, at least it improves his English language skills.

Don't think I've ever seen a Thai reading a novel.

Edited March 20, 20197 yr by BritManToo

In addition reading teaches us new words, to build well our sentences, to avoid making spelling errors (at least in his mother tongue) to hold a conversation with anyone, without stammering, etc. .
Long live reading

The diminution in reading skills is a huge problem in Thailand - and to be fair, is a problem in other (Western) countries too. 

'Reading is boring'.

Never was to me when I was a youngster: I loved it, and still do!

I was an English teacher for 39 years.  Under my catchphrase; 'The Eyes have it; the Power to Read' I inspired generations of students.  Here I am not allowed in a classroom without jumping through so many hoops, I've given up trying.

31 minutes ago, Eligius said:

The diminution in reading skills is a huge problem in Thailand - and to be fair, is a problem in other (Western) countries too. 

'Reading is boring'.

Never was to me when I was a youngster: I loved it, and still do!

 

as an avid reader one of my lasting first memories of meeting thais, noticing that most dont read and asking them why i recall the constant reply; why read a book when you can watch the movie?

 

having said that book fairs tend to be very well attended here, and most of the children of my thai friends read books, some even in english. the motivation and encouragement has to come from teachers and parents

Not going to happen. The basic structure of the 'Mia Pen Rai syndrome' doesn't allow it. In one sense it can mean 'enjoy yourself no matter what" etc. However, this won't apply to some of the Chinese Thai. Some friends of mine allow their children a given a mount of time to any new year celebration but after that they have to study.

My other Thai friends have children who often refuse to do their homework let alone study. A few days ago I was visiting some friends and it was almost embarrassing, two 13 year old girls shouting and screaming about going to their once a week extra English lesson and by the time it was over it was too late anyway.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Sudjai added that the list recommends books for different age groups, such as from birth to six; from six to nine; and from nine to 12 years old. 

Hands up anyone who started to read at birth or within the first couple of years.  Born in 1941, I had to start school at 3 years old as my family, except my father, were moved, not evacuated, from London to Yorkshire and my mother was a nurse and had to work.  Held me in good stead but cannot see Thai children being interested in reading but only playing computer and telephone games.

'nuf sed.

5 hours ago, gunderhill said:

Cartoon TV  is  all they need, that and a bag of Lay crisps for breakfast

Cartoons?  They need afternoon soaps.  How else will the boys learn to abuse the girls and how will the girls learn to accept the abuse from the boys?

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Children urged to read during school holidays

The only reading they'll be doing is the instructions for their new computer game!

3 hours ago, mikebell said:

I was an English teacher for 39 years.  Under my catchphrase; 'The Eyes have it; the Power to Read' I inspired generations of students.  Here I am not allowed in a classroom without jumping through so many hoops, I've given up trying.

This country could benefit from the life's experience of many expats. Sadly, those that are willing to embrace those talented expats and could implement change, are mired in the tarpits of the past, right along side the dinosaurs that run things.

4 hours ago, Eligius said:

The diminution in reading skills is a huge problem in Thailand - and to be fair, is a problem in other (Western) countries too. 

'Reading is boring'.

Never was to me when I was a youngster: I loved it, and still do!

My Dad died a  few  years back, he was an avid  book collector, got  thousands of the things and he was  good  enough to print  out their values and leave it out for me to find, adds  up to quite some value.

1 hour ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

Cartoons?  They need afternoon soaps.  How else will the boys learn to abuse the girls and how will the girls learn to accept the abuse from the boys?

Cartoons  way more violent, it  helped me, Tom and Jerry, can't  beat a good  bashing smashing frying beating etc especially the rarely seen Black Momma.

Thai culture is not a learning culture open to new ideas and challenges....

 

Reading for pleasure or advancement does not fit their criteria 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Children urged to read during school holidays

They don't read during term time. 

Whilst i am sure some can and do 

 

I personally dont recall ever seeing a Thai reading a book 

It says a lot when somebody has to publicly encourage children to  read.

I don't see them doing any reading during the academic year, so I don't expect them to do any during the holidays. 

I doubt many if them even own books. Sad really. As a child I read every free second I had and loved it! I fondly remember sitting in the garden on a warm summers day reading for hours and hours. Unfortunately, all that changed when I started secondary school and I haven't really been that interested in reading since then, at least not on the same level. 

Reading is learned, eh! yes, at birth.
My parents have always told us stories while rocking us.
Then the cardboard books, with pictures, at the age of 6 months.
And every night, to fall asleep, the ritual, by our mother or our father, stories or invented stories.
At every birthday or Christmas, there was always a book.
What good memories.

What are you waiting for to take back a book that you have already read and which you enjoyed?

wishful thinking...they ma read some comic books

As to what drives reading interest.....one has find a specific area of focus....at my sunset age, non-fiction American history 1770s to 1945 is my draw...in particular how the American west came to be, it’s development and direction...fascinating stuff

 

that said, recently bought the biography of Ho Chi Minh....

 

Even "cheap" books in Thailand are extremely expensive as a percentage of a days wage.

 

There is also very poor provision of public libraries.

 

Many more children would read if those issues were addressed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 hours ago, Eligius said:

The diminution in reading skills is a huge problem in Thailand - and to be fair, is a problem in other (Western) countries too. 

'Reading is boring'.

Never was to me when I was a youngster: I loved it, and still do!

While kids don't read like we used to as kids, they are far, far more educated than we were on average. They know much more about the world than we did. 

 

That said, lack of reading high quality literature does mean they are missing much of their culture, important lessons from history and some of life's colour.

2 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

While kids don't read like we used to as kids, they are far, far more educated than we were on average. They know much more about the world than we did. 

 

That said, lack of reading high quality literature does mean they are missing much of their culture, important lessons from history and some of life's colour.

I agree with you in general, Fex Bluse; but I honestly don't find that Thai youngsters en masse are better educated than we were when we were their age. Young Thais (and older ones) are ASTONISHINGLY ignorant about so, so many things - in all fields of learning.

6 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I agree with you in general, Fex Bluse; but I honestly don't find that Thai youngsters en masse are better educated than we were when we were their age. Young Thais (and older ones) are ASTONISHINGLY ignorant about so, so many things - in all fields of learning.

Especially when they are in school parades dressed in Nazi swastika symbols. They seem to think that Hitler is iconic like that Che Guevara t-shirt?

41 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I agree with you in general, Fex Bluse; but I honestly don't find that Thai youngsters en masse are better educated than we were when we were their age. Young Thais (and older ones) are ASTONISHINGLY ignorant about so, so many things - in all fields of learning.

Sorry, Thais are MOST DEFINITELY NOT. I meant Western kids. 

 

Thais lose out much on account of their xenophobia and indifference to anything non Thai. 

there's an important reason we don't spell our vowels in English.  and English does not have only 5 vowels!!!!  :-)   the Thai languages are spelled precisely and phonetically.  the reason we only have a,e,i,o,u is so reading and writing is simpler. 

don't just toss that little thing aside.   

and although Thai study English, it's never as a 2nd language.  Only as a 4th or 5th language. 

don't just toss that aside either. 

and then somehow it is part of the Thai culture to look down at reading in general.  jokes such as "they all read from the same book".... or the cultural convention that reading is a "different way of thinking".  where did that some from?  I hope it is not from our western example of a particular book, Trump's "Favorite Book". 

reading books is the only activity we do not share in common with most other animals.  example, travel and tourism.... for anyone who has ever taken a dog for a ride in back of a pickup truck, that one is not unique to humans at all.  yet in most surveys, only travel ever gets close to reading books as most folks favorite leisure activity..... in places like Singapore, New York, LA....   

Edited March 20, 20197 yr by WeekendRaider

Ok I read my Book Bank