Special Features
Local Library To Address Reading Habits As UAE Children Head Back To School
Reader’s Paradise spotlights importance of reading in technological age. As children and teenagers in the UAE gain increasing access to smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles, not to mention hours in front of the television, encouraging them to pick up a new book can more often than not be met with disinterest.Reader’s Paradise, an inventive book rental library, will help parents save time, money and effort when it comes to finding a good book for their children as they bring a wealth of new titles and bestsellers to the new Back to School event this September.
Taking place from 13 to 15 September 2012 at Meydan, Back to School will provide an informative and entertaining environment in which parents, teachers and children can seek solutions and new options for the upcoming academic year.
Designed to stimulate the young minds of the UAE’s children, Reader’s Paradise is geared towards creating awareness around the importance of reading by promoting learning through reading for pleasure.
The library currently offers free delivery and pick-up of books across Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman with 10,000 titles to choose from. Users simply log on to www.readersparadise-me.com to become a member and browse through the library which is continuously rotated to host a diversity of titles catering to the varying tastes of children and parents.
“Reading a variety of books, whether in school or at home, challenges the brain to think in new directions and absorb new concepts which is of course essential for cognitive learning,” said Ms. Rashi Panjabi, Co- Founder of Reader’s Paradise.
“Taking part in Back to School is a wonderful opportunity for us at Reader’s Paradise as this event is paramount in reaching audiences in a family-focused arena that speaks to the ambitions of parents, children, teachers and those who take an interest in aiding learning and growth.”
Reader’s Paradise is not the only one addressing this issue here in the UAE. In an effort to combat what could be seen as a lessening focus on reading in formal education with some schools offering less ‘leisure reading’ time for students, the Ministry of Education is actively working on initiatives to improve reading habits among children.
In a recent international test as part of the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa), while UAE’s children achieved positive results overall, research showed that nearly twice as many 15-year-old boys as girls in the UAE have poor reading skills.
Christine Weaver, Exhibition and Sponsorship Manager at Congress Solutions International, organisers of Back to School, said: “Reading undoubtedly plays a key role in creating positive attitudes to learning while facilitating language development from an early age, something that is particularly important when children are interacting in an environment with multiple languages and cultures.
“It has become imperative for us to create awareness about the importance of these benefits and what they can do for children here in the UAE. We are delighted to provide a platform at Back to School where we can help to achieve this.”
Back to School runs from 13 to 15 September 2012 at Meydan. Ticket prices start at AED15 for individual entry, a special family discount is also available for two adults with up to three children for AED50, while groups of ten people will pay AED100. Proceeds from the entry fees will be donated to Safe Center, a special needs education institution that provides less privileged children with essential medical, educational and welfare items.
Up to date news on the event can be found at www.facebook.com/BacktoSchoolDubai and www.twitter.com/Back2SchoolUAE. Interactive games and competitions, as well as information on how to register or take part can be found at www.backtoschool.ae.
