Monday, 24 June 2013

Reading Culture

Books and leisure are like oil and water, they do not mix.

Sometimes when you walk into a school you can tell something about its character - proud of its sporting triumphs with display cases of trophies, an emphasis on art with murals and mosaics, an eco-school, a religious school, one with a long tradition and history, or celebrations of ethnic diversity. 
So, what would it look like to walk through a school with a "reading culture"?

"The basis of a reading culture is an understanding and appreciation of reading... In order to create a reading culture, attitudinal change has to take place. As a culture we need to embrace the place of reading in our personal lives and make it a priority in civil society. Reading is essential to the well being and happiness of an individual, and to that person’s capacity to act as a citizen in a democracy, hence a culture in which reading is promoted for all citizens is essential to the general good of our society."