THE SCHOOL LIBRARY AS FUNDAMENTAL STEPS TO CHILDREN’S EFFECTIVE READING HABITS

THE SCHOOL LIBRARY AS FUNDAMENTAL STEPS TO CHILDREN’S EFFECTIVE READING HABITS

(An assessment of four selected secondary schools in Nasarawa Town)

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the School Library as Fundamental Steps to Children’s Effective Reading Habits among four selected secondary schools in Nasarawa Town. The objectives of the study is to identity the number of times student visit the library, identify the benefit derive in using the school library and to examine current and relevant materials in your school library. The researcher used descriptive research design method and structured questionnaire, data were collected from a total of 80 respondents. The findings showed that students do not visit the library regularly, students derive benefit in using the school library and there are current and relevant materials in the selected secondary school libraries. It was recommended that teachers should encourage the students to read more books, magazines and newspapers regularly, librarian should attract children who are reluctant readers, expose them to the joys and benefits of reading and create an environment conducive to reading so that the children feel at home and comfortable.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

Reading has been and still a powerful means of communication. It can form part of an individual to the extent that it becomes a habit which once developed, become very difficult to break. However, what children and adolescents read and why they read can be difficult questions to answer. The art of reading could be an interesting experience for children and adolescents if they are properly guided. A reading habit cultivated early in life helps the child to grow into an independent adult.

In Nigeria, there is the general outcry and a serious one for that matter, against the falling standard in education. Several factors are attributed to this fall in standard, but hardly has the establishment of the school and public libraries been mentioned. The absence of school and public libraries and the role they play to uplift that standard of education is ignorantly left out. It is on this basis that this paper is written to highlight the role school and public libraries can play in encouraging reading habits among children and adolescents which is a catalyst to learning.

Access to information is crucial to individual advancement as well as corporate educational development. Information is indispensable and according to (Yusuf, 2007), bridges the gap between knowledge and ignorance. One of the major avenues for acquiring information is reading. Reading is the foundation upon which other academic skills are built. It offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary, word power, and language skills. Tella and Akanade (2007), avert that the ability to read is at the heart of self-education and lifelong learning and that it is an art capable of transforming life and society. Yani (2003), as quoted by Oyeronke (2009), posits that reading habits of Nigerians are a matter of concern in our educational and national development, stating further that in a developing country like Nigeria, the concept of reading habits should not be relegated to the background.

The habit of regular reading, according to Shabi and Udofia (2009), refines the reader; it awakes something inside someone that makes him or her take their own life more seriously. One can only imagine the inspiration and noble feeling evoked after reading biographies of great men and women. This is where the school and public libraries come in. The raison d’être’ of the school and public libraries are to serve as a pivot or fulcrum of reading and promoting of reading habit. The school and public libraries bring together books and other formats of literacy materials and the readers under the expert guidance of a certified librarian. For the promotion of a sustainable reading culture in Nigeria, this central role of the school and public libraries will continue to be relevant both now and in the future.

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Reading habit or interest constitutes an important foundation to the use of library resources. It is particularly important for student because as Alegbeleye (2010) reveals, it is best formed at a young impressionable age in school and once formed, it can last one’s life time. Sangkaeo (2009) refers to reading habit as the behaviour which expresses the likeness (interest) of reading of individual types of reading and taste for reading. Self-interest for reading is considered important for student as it is believed that reading student become reading adults.

It has been found that frequent reading is related to the development of sophisticated language structures, higher level of comprehension, improved word analysis, skills and fluency in significant amount of voluntary reading, and that these are associated with a greater interest and skill development (Arriving International reading Association, 2002). This view supports the finding of Pilgreen and Krashen (2000) that the longer free reading is practiced the more consistent and positive the result, and that people who read more write better. Krasher surmised that reading as a leisure activity is the best predictor of comprehension, vocabulary and reading speed of students.

These studies show the relevance of student’s interest in voluntary reading as a foundation for success in terms of present and future achievements. On student’s proficiency vis-à-vis the role of the library, literature generally lends support to the importance of the role of library in achieving this important task; for instance, a wide range of review, “Every Child Ready to Read” (2010) surmised that there is a clear and abundant evidence that certain physical design feature in environment (represented adequately by the library) supports young children’s literacy engagement and subsequent achievement. They include physical design features, use of space and resource may help to focus and sustain children’s literacy activity providing greater opportunity to engage in language and literacy behaviours. This research indicates that a more deliberate approach to selection and arrangement of materials according to specific design critical (as libraries do) may enhance children to use library’s object and related print resource, thereby enhancing the children’s reading proficiency.

It has also been found that a number of factors serve as motivator for student’s interest in reading and enhance the use of library resource. These include the home environment as represented by parents (Dent and Yannot, 2005 as reported in Busayo, 2011; Every Child Ready to Read, 2010) as well as the school libraries (Usoro and Usanga, 2007;Udoh-Ilomechine, 2008; Every Child Ready to Read, 2010; Busayo, 2011).

Student’s interest in the use of library can be promoted by the schools themselves through provision and arrangement of relevant reading materials in a quiet and attractive environment. This will enhance student’s interest and proficiency in reading. The extent to which student use these resources can be enhanced through the library planned promotion activities such as the summer reading programme for student, reading competitions and celebration of yearly library week to sensitize the student of library facilities and resources as well as public awareness creation on new arrivals and anything that is new in the library by librarians.  Parents can also serve as motivators for library use by being personal examples and encouragement for their children. 

Four (4) Secondary schools where selected for the purpose of this study two (2) government owned schools and two (2) private owned school namely Government College Nasarawa, Government Science Secondary School Nasarawa, Achievers Baptist College Nasarawa and Polytechnic Staff Science Secondary School Nasarawa respectively.

Government College Nasarawa, it is located beside Eco Bank Plc. Nasarawa. The school was established in 1975, it is a boarding and day school. It has a total population of 155 students, teaching staff population is 55 and non-teaching staff is 20. It is a State Government.

Government Science School was established in 1985 it is located in Angwan Biri, Nasarawa. It is a boarding and day school. It has a total population of 156 students, teaching staff population is 48 and non-teaching staff is 22. It is a State Government.

Achievers Baptist College Nasarawa, it is located very close to Nasarawa Market. The school was established in August, 2001. It is a boarding and day school. The number of teaching staff is 40 non-teaching staff 20 the total number of the students are 60. It is a private owned school.

Polytechnic Staff Science Secondary School Nasarawa, it is located very close to the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa Boy’s Hostel. The school was established in September, 2004. The number of teaching staff is 32 non-teaching staff 14 the total number of the students are 48.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Indeed the poor reading culture in Nigeria has come to a stage where urgent measure must be taken. Taking a look at our tertiary institutions, you could see cint1ess number of students who believe that sitting down to read is a waste of time. Our university and other tertiary institution’s graduates are not employable.

Take a look at their secondary school days you will discover that this

Important phenomenon: school library was neglected. They took the same life style into the tertiary institution and the got stocked. One thing we must also take a look at is the shabby state of our school libraries. Infact most schools have no school libraries which ought not to be. All these must be tackled. And the study intends to do that.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.       To identify if the schools have school library

2.       To identity the number of times student visit the library

3.       To identify the benefit derive in using the school library

4.       To examine current and relevant materials in your school library

5.       To find out the problem inhibiting effective use of library and its resources

6.       To find out possible solutions to the problems identified

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions will make up the research questions:

1. Does your school have school library?
2. How many times do you visit the library?

3.       What benefit do you derive in using the school library?

4.       Are there current and relevant materials in your school library?

5.       What the problems inhibiting the effective use of school library and its resources?

6.       What are the possible solutions to the problems identified?

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The research will help to put the school library in its rightful place looking at how neglected it has been.

The research will also reveal that for students to become ardent readers, parents must embark on some exercises. The research will help parents and guidance to know the effort needed to cultivate a good reading habit in their wards.

Finally, the research will go a long way in bringing to an end the sheer neglect suffered by school libraries.

1.6     SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The project is based on the School Library as a fundamental step to student’s effective Reading Habit and is limited to secondary schools in Nasarawa town. In the process of carrying out this project work, the researcher was confronted with many challenges and limitations which are as follows:

Time: There was time constraint for the research project and within the time specified, the normal lecture were also in progress, therefore, the researcher was faced with a lot of stress to combine the research work with her personal affairs and running from one lecture to another. The effect of this work was that the period the researcher was supposed to spend on findings and data collection was limited and as a result more quality work was hindered.

Finance: The researcher was also faced with financial problems. Researcher work is very tedious because it requires running from one place to another in search of information, books, Journals, paper and reports must be consulted but are not always available within, there was the need to travel to gather some of the materials which involved money. Also the researcher printed questionnaires which were distributed to the staff of the selected secondary schools which also involved money.

1.7     DEFINITION OF TERMS

LIBRARY: A library is a collection of sources of information and similar resources, made accessible to a defined community for reference or borrowing. It provides physical or digital access to material, and may be a physical building or room, or a virtual space, or both. A library collection can include books, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, films, maps, prints, documents, microform, CDs, cassettes, videotapes, DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, ebooks, audiobooks, databases, and other formats.

SCHOOL LIBRARY: Is a library within a school where students, staff, and often, parents of a public or private school have access to a variety of resources.

EFFECTIVE: This is the process in determining the relevancy of the library materials.

FUNDAMENTAL: Serving as, or being an essential part of, a foundation or basis; basic; underlying or of, relating to, or affecting the foundation or basis.

READING HABIT: A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition; made a habit of reading bible every morning.

REFERENCE

Agada J. (2010) Any Hope for Books in Digital Age? Sunday Trust Newspaper, April, 18, 2010.

Kalaugo, K. (2010) Rainbow Club Gears up for World Book Day, Initiates Community Libraries. The Guardian, April 18, 2010: 75.

Oyeronke, A (2009) Reading Habits of Secondary School Teachers: A Study of selected secondary schools in Ado-Odo Local Government Area. Library Philosophy and Practice

Shabi, I.N and Udofia, E.P (2009) Role of the School Library in Promoting Reading Culture in Nigeria International Journal of Research in Education, 6 ( 1& 2 ): 259-269.

Tahir, G. (2002) Primary School Pupils Cannot write. New Nigerian, September, 20, 2002.

Tella, A and Akande, S. (2007) Children’s Reading Habits and Availability of Books in Botswana Primary Schools: Implications for Achieving Quality Education. The Reading Matrix.7. (2)

Ugboma, M.U, (2010) “The Nature; Principle and Concepts of Literature and Library Services for Children”. In Modern Library and Information Science for Information Professionals in Africa (Madu, E.C and Ezeani, C.N ed) Ibadan: Titling, 79-92.

Yani, S. (2003) Reading Habits of Senior Secondary School Students in Zaria local Government area; Zaria Journal of Librarianship. 6 (1and2): 30.

Yusuf, F. (2007) Repositioning School libraries in Nigeria: The Catalyst for Promoting Reading Habit Among Primary and Secondary School Students. Library Philosophy and Practice.