Reading interest found lacking
By Zhao Wen |
August 9, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MANY migrant children in Shanghai have limited interest in reading outside of school, a survey shows, and thousands of them are being given the chance to attend the coming Shanghai Book Fair for free.
The survey, released during the Eighth Shanghai International Forum for Children, suggests that migrant parents are failing to create a good reading atmosphere at home.
The poll, involving 2,327 migrant children, 188 of their parents and 213 teachers, found that half of the children are not in the habit of reading at home but 90 percent watch TV and play online games.
Bai Jie, postgraduate from Shanghai Normal University who conducted the survey, told Shanghai Daily that most children said they found it hard to read through an entire book and instead gave up after several pages.
"Many children can tell the name of a book but fail to talk about the story," said Bai.
The survey also found that migrant parents, with poor educational backgrounds, were too busy with their work and had little time to read with their children. Other parents did not value reading as much as other activities.
"I think reading tasks at school are enough for my son," said Zhang Lihua of Anhui Province, who is a stall seller in a local wet market. Zhang said she wants her boy to play sports after class rather than sit around reading.
Last year, the number of migrant children in Shanghai reached 1.12 million - about 40 percent of the total number of children in the city. The rapid increase has created a demand for better public services, including reading.
The Shanghai Press and Publication Bureau recently offered 20,000 free tickets to migrant families, handicapped residents and those who live on government allowances to visit the Eighth Shanghai Book Fair, to be held from August 17-23 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.
Kan Ninghui, deputy director general for the bureau, said the action was aimed at encouraging migrant workers and their children to enrich their cultural life in Shanghai.
The survey, released during the Eighth Shanghai International Forum for Children, suggests that migrant parents are failing to create a good reading atmosphere at home.
The poll, involving 2,327 migrant children, 188 of their parents and 213 teachers, found that half of the children are not in the habit of reading at home but 90 percent watch TV and play online games.
Bai Jie, postgraduate from Shanghai Normal University who conducted the survey, told Shanghai Daily that most children said they found it hard to read through an entire book and instead gave up after several pages.
"Many children can tell the name of a book but fail to talk about the story," said Bai.
The survey also found that migrant parents, with poor educational backgrounds, were too busy with their work and had little time to read with their children. Other parents did not value reading as much as other activities.
"I think reading tasks at school are enough for my son," said Zhang Lihua of Anhui Province, who is a stall seller in a local wet market. Zhang said she wants her boy to play sports after class rather than sit around reading.
Last year, the number of migrant children in Shanghai reached 1.12 million - about 40 percent of the total number of children in the city. The rapid increase has created a demand for better public services, including reading.
The Shanghai Press and Publication Bureau recently offered 20,000 free tickets to migrant families, handicapped residents and those who live on government allowances to visit the Eighth Shanghai Book Fair, to be held from August 17-23 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.
Kan Ninghui, deputy director general for the bureau, said the action was aimed at encouraging migrant workers and their children to enrich their cultural life in Shanghai.
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