Are Voluminous Materials and Lecture Notes Really Necessary for Students to achieve a Reading Mentality?




         I'm pretty sure you have answered that already. Your answer either in the affirmative or negative. However, I'll like us to examine this critically together and determine if bulky, voluminous materials and lecture notes are really necessary for students and if they encourage reading habits. Most teachers or lecturers come to class, give you voluminous notes, materials and textbooks and tell you to "read them all" as you'll be tested on all.

             Let's create a scenario of you having lots of books piled up on your reading table or shelf, all meant to be read, about five(5) to six(6) each for more than half of the overall courses or subjects. Truthfully, the first thing that comes to an average student's mind is fear. You begin to wonder how you are supposed to actually "read" all of the books. Just a textbook or two on a normal day is seen as a really burdensome task by most students, myself inclusive, how much more five (5) to seven (7) materials on a single course or subject?. 

           I can remember vividly my secondary school days, junior secondary mostly. Our teachers would practically force us to purchase and read textbooks written by themselves or their friends by giving us tests on them usually about twenty marks which we obviously had to buy before the week runs out or month, or otherwise risk losing our twenty marks. Similarly in the university also, I had a course where there is a special mark just for purchasing a textbook as every mark counts a lot in universities. Thus, students troop into their offices to obtain these books. 

           Back to our focus, the "impact or effect of voluminous materials on the reading mentality of students." A single glance at piles of books or considering reading them alone weakens and discourages most students. And as a result they tend to procrastinate reading and shift it till later and later until they realize tests or examinations are just a week ahead. Then, they start panicking and are tempted to resort to cramming, as that's the only seemingly solution left. You might be quick to judge such a student and term him or her lazy. However, if you'll be truthful and carefully trace all of these back to it's roots or source. You'll admit he or she was actually discouraged initially by the volume of books piled up for reading which are unfortunately, mostly outdated or unnecessary.

            A bookworm as pointed out in yesterday's post may not really have problems with reading voluminous materials. In fact, such a student will be pleased to devour them all. However, reading too widely, as pointed out yesterday without prioritizing on the major focus is disastrous. 

          A survey of present day students shows the penchant for reading is really low and bookworms are not up to 30% of the general community of students. Thus, voluminous materials and lecture notes are not even approaches to boost, encourage or re awaken the reading culture among students. Rather, a great reduction in the size and volumes of these materials will go a long way in resuscitating the reading culture.

           On the headline question based on all of the above, my answer is a capital NO and disapproval of voluminous materials and lecture notes. 

#Let's Join Hands to Re Awaken Nigerian Students Reading Culture
#No To Voluminous Materials and Lecture Notes
#Encourage And Not Discourage Reading 

Writer: Aduragbemi Akintepede (Duwa_Diva)

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