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Benefits of Regular Reading in the Modern Age
Given the many electronic gadgets in our modern world feeding information to people of all ages in short, shifting bits and pieces, it is also important to engage in activities which call for sustained concentration such as the reading of books.
Of course, the reading level and content of a book will determine the amount of concentration necessary to comprehend the material. Few readers would argue that it requires greater focus to understand the contents of a Biology textbook than a work of commercial fiction.
For this reason, we suggest varying one’s reading among lighter, pulpy books like those found on the supermarket bestseller novel racks and weightier texts such as political biographies, classical works of fiction, and historical non-fiction.
Similar variation can also be practiced with shorter written pieces. For a complete reading experience, one should endeavor to move gracefully across the full spectrum of articles from the light and quick bits found in People Magazine and many newspapers to the slower, denser works found in magazines like The New Yorker, The Economist, Harpers, and other publications which feature articles requiring higher level comprehension from their audience.
Regular reading across this spectrum should increase one’s mental capacity for linear focus and long term concentration. Enjoying the streaming feeds of electronic media coming from televisions, iPods and MP3 players will utilize one’s capacity for short term attention. At this time in history, long and short term concentration are both important and useful skills.
The successful minds of the future will likely possess well developed capacities for sustained linear thinking which can be further developed through activities such as reading, study, and meditation as well as the non-directional, short term focus which is stimulated by engagement with electronic media devices.
Posted by: editor on April 14, 2010
Electronic Media Breaks
One of our student’s parents recently told me that she had implemented an “electronic media break” with her fifth grader. I felt immediate excitement despite the fact that she hadn’t even explained the conditions of this break to me.
As suspected, this mother had decided to restrict her daughter’s use of cell phones, personal music devices, home video game consoles, television, and non-academic computer use for an extended period of time in hopes that it would increase her child’s concentration.
Sure enough, after the first week of the media break, the child’s primary teacher had already witnessed her improved class participation and better focus when carrying out assignments. Mom too, noticed that her daughter seemed more energized overall, was engaged during conversations, and followed directions without resistance or attitude.
Apparently, despite the fact that electronic media devices are highly useful and often entertaining (especially for children), they can also sap much needed energy from people which might be better spent in meaningful or lighthearted conversation, activity and play. Most kids would not welcome a media break now, but may thank you later (perhaps when raising children of their own).
For more information on the benefits of media breaks, check out the following websites:
Center for Screen Time Awareness on National TV Turn Off Week
New York Times Article on Media Breaks for Parents
WebMD on Video Game Addiction
Posted by: editor on April 5, 2010