Young bookworms rewarded during Abu Dhabi Reads campaign

Schoolchildren look through books at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. On Tuesday 20 pupils were rewarded for earning the most points in the Abu Dhabi Reads contest. Pawan Singh / The National

ABU DHABI // Budding young bookworms were rewarded for developing avid reading habits on Tuesday, the final day of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.

The Abu Dhabi Reads campaign contest challenged government school pupils from kindergarten to Grade 5 to collect points for reading using a digital programme called Raz-Kids.

Pupils were encouraged to ­access the online books using their computers and mobile devices at home and at school. The 20 pupils who earned the most points were awarded certificates and coupons.

“It motivates them to read and reinforces the idea that for the good things, you are rewarded,” said Dr Karima Almazroui, P-12 acting executive director for Abu Dhabi Education Council.

The contest is one of many initiatives that Adec has introduced in public schools to promote reading among children, who are often more interested in online games or social media.

Teachers say they have observed an improvement among pupils since Adec stepped up ­efforts to boost reading.

“They changed the way of looking at reading and it has become important all across the country,” said Kenisha Choo-Yick, a Canadian who teaches kindergarten at a government school in Al Ain.

Adec has made sure teachers have books available at schools for the children and helped build reading habits in homes, she said.

Rachandra Menner, an American head of faculty for kindergarten at a state school, said literacy in schools had increased tremendously over the years, as had the resources.

Pupils previously had to read from heavy anthologies of short stories but now have libraries of story books to choose from, Ms Menner said.

“Students can pick up an individual book and read it, as opposed to carrying a big book,” she said. “Students don’t like to be inconvenienced. So we need to provide books that are convenient and interesting.”

Parents and relatives who attended the awards ceremony at the book fair lamented the struggle they often faced trying to get their children to read when faced with the lure of digital devices.

“With the iPad and TV and everything, it is difficult, I tell you,” said Mariam Al Gaithi, who travelled from Al Ain to cheer on her nephew.

“When they are on the iPad, they go more for the games instead of reading.”

Ms Al Gaithi said in her home the children were given limits on the time they could spend on gizmos.

Teachers believe parents should read to their children books that suit their personal interests.

“If you say, ‘You can only read this book, this book or this book’, and they want to read something else, they are not going to enjoy it.” Ms Menner said.