Today, the decreasing interest of young people in books is one of the issues discussed in society. The reasons for the problem are often sought in schools.
Thus, it is proposed to hold various games and prize competitions in school libraries to form reading habits in students. In some schools, various gifts and certificates are presented to students who read the most books during the month or year. However, such initiatives are not applied in all schools.
In your opinion, what steps should be taken to increase young people's interest in books and form reading habits?
AzEdu.az spoke with Ilgar Orujov, chairman of the Azerbaijan Society of Young Scientists, Doctoral Students and Masters, Doctor of Philosophy, on the topic.
Our interlocutor noted that the family environment should play a fundamental role in this process:
“The decrease in young people's, especially school-aged students', interest in reading is one of the most important socio-cultural problems of the modern information society and the digital transition period. Pedagogical psychology shows that reading books is not just a process of assimilating ready-made information, but also plays an important role in the formation of personality, the development of emotional intelligence, and the enrichment of an individual's inner world. Reading develops critical thinking, the ability to evaluate events from different perspectives, empathize, and self-awareness.
The intellectual base formed as a result of reading books plays an important role in the adaptation of the personality to the social environment. In international practice, various innovative approaches and management models are applied to solve this problem. In the educational practice of European countries, especially in France and Germany, school and public libraries are transforming from places where books are simply stored into modern interactive centers. In these countries, efforts are made to direct young people's use of digital devices towards useful learning tools through book therapy and digital reading platforms. In Great Britain, free mobile libraries are created in streets, parks, and public transport within the framework of the “National Reading Initiative”. In Singapore and South Korea, the development of reading habits is linked to the formation of logical and critical thinking in national education programs.
In this process, the family environment should play a fundamental role. The formation of reading habits in students is not limited to the school environment. It is difficult for a child who does not encounter a reading culture in the family to acquire a continuous reading habit only through intra-school competitions, and this habit may not be long-term. Parents should support their children's intellectual development, establish healthy communication with schools, organize special reading hours at home, and set a personal example.”
The general reading culture in our country has significantly weakened in recent years:
“Although the mechanism of “giving a gift to the student who reads the most books” applied in schools creates positive external motivation in the initial stage, when a child is attracted to reading only for a material reward, his interest in reading may weaken again after the reward is removed. Therefore, the main goal is to increase the student's internal interest, stimulate cognitive activity, and ensure that they accept reading as a means of personal development.
Unfortunately, characterizing modern Azerbaijani society as a book-reading society in general does not fully reflect the real picture. The weakening of the general reading culture in our country is a worrying issue. One of the reasons for this decline is the formal approach observed in the activities of libraries in some schools. School libraries, instead of being lively, attractive, and intellectual discussion centers, sometimes turn into places with formal activities. The consequences that moving away from books and weakening reading habits can have for the state, people, and society are serious and strategic.”
The weakening of book reading can negatively affect the development of critical thinking and the information literacy of society:
“International research shows that societies with low reading levels may be more vulnerable to global information wars, fake news, and the influence of foreign ideologies. At the state level, this situation can lead to a slowdown in scientific and technological progress and a weakening of competitive human potential in the digital and intellectual labor market.
The weakening of reading habits in society can also negatively affect the assimilation of universal values, the formation of internal discipline, and a culture of respect for the rule of law. This can also lead to a weakening of principles of tolerance and coexistence among individuals.
I believe that the fundamental solution to the problem, based on scientific and pedagogical principles, lies in combining the goals of state education policy and the family in this area into a single strategy and transforming school libraries from formal activities into one of the main intellectual spaces of the school. The analysis of literary texts in schools should not be limited to checking memory, but should be carried out through research, debates, and discussion clubs based on scientific approaches.
The modern, high-quality, and secular education standards set by the state should ensure that students not only assimilate information in official textbooks, but also grow up as citizens with free and critical thinking, comprehensively formed personalities, and an interest in books. When infrastructure is renewed in schools, formal approaches in management are eliminated, and family-school partnership is strengthened, the intellectual development of the young generation will be supported, and the intellectual progress of society will become continuous.”
