Name: Paulino. A. Matsinhe.

Teacher: Thinker

Topic: The Role Of English Teachers in Promoting Reading Habits

Level __V__ Signature________

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Matola aos 23 de Junho de 2025

This work sought to understand the importance of English teachers in the habit of reading,
stimulating the student's interest in reading in a meaningful way and how it is part of society's
life, the importance of reading clearly and fluently, and knowing how to understand between the
lines of the text, so that reading is understood.

Teachers need to organise themselves, plan appropriately for each type of student and get to
know the reality of their students in order to choose texts that are attractive to them and that will
give them an interest in and a taste for reading. Since teachers are role models, they also need to
enjoy reading in order to be able to teach reading to their students.

It is known that the reality of education in Mozambique today is not ideal, there is much to be
done and that there are many professionals in classrooms who are unprepared to deal with the
day-to-day problems of a classroom, lacking experience and sometimes commitment, especially
when it comes to reading, but this reality can be changed by developing projects that focus on the
importance of reading in our lives, and by seeking support from families and society in general.

The conquest of reading increases the possibilities of social interaction and fertilises the
development of both language and thought, providing the student or even the teacher with an
intellectual development that enables them to make more conscious choices. Today, reading has
become an indispensable tool for life in society, which in turn opens up windows to the world for
human beings.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HABIT OF READING

Communication has been present in the lives of human beings since the dawn of their existence,
but over time human beings have evolved, creating instruments to facilitate this communication,
at first just a few signs and symbols and later some of these turned into letters.

However, these codes and symbols gave rise to the form of writing that we use today, but for
this to happen many changes have taken place over time. As society evolves, its achievements
are recorded in books and other types of documents, so it is of the utmost importance that human
beings know how to decipher this information in order to improve and pass on their knowledge
and acquired experiences.

For this to happen objectively and efficiently, individuals need to be introduced to the world of
books from an early age, thus creating a taste for reading, even if this reading is not yet carried
out in the standard way, by deciphering codes and symbols, but rather through imagination and
interpreting images.

Therefore, it is important to provide children with this contact with books, even before they are
in the educational context, and to improve their reading skills in a standard way, so that they
develop the habit of handling a book, and even awaken a taste for reading as a habit, and see that
knowledge can be acquired through reading.

However, there is great concern about the situation of students who have problems developing
their reading skills. In this way, it is necessary to observe the most diverse possibilities for
interpreting and understanding a text, facilitating its comprehension. And not just consider
reading to be the decoding of graphic signs, which should be learnt in the early stages of their
academic life.

Reading goes far beyond just decoding graphic symbols and repeating syllables. Reading is
knowing how to understand what's between the lines of the text, making sense of what you've
read and understood is also part of the act of reading. Knowing how to carry out a reading,
respecting all the graphic signs present, and also being able to give yourself and other listeners
and readers the ability to understand the meaning of your reading through your intonation.
 Since reading is more than decoding written texts, it means critically interpreting the world by
deciphering the most varied messages and languages that reach us. Alongside this broad sense of
reading, there is also, implicitly, a broad sense of language, seen not only as everything that
surrounds us, and which is capable of transmitting information to us about the world and the
culture of which we are a part.

In this way, the resources used to enable communication between people, from the earliest
beginnings to the greatest achievements, are related to language. Considering this broad meaning
of language, we can speak of various languages, verbal language and non-verbal language.

So verbal language conveys its intended message objectively and completely. On the other
hand, non-verbal language (visual language) is highly economical because its basis is the icon,
i.e. a figure or image whose perception is immediate. So language is a symbolic system, made up
of words and combinatory laws, which allows the exercise of verbal language, which is probably
the main axis for getting people into the habit of reading.

For reading to really become part of students' lives and daily lives, it is necessary to make a
diagnosis of how this habit is being encouraged and how important it is in their lives. In this
context, there is a need to rethink classroom practice and ask ourselves: what are we doing with
our students? In order to keep up with the speed of events in everyday life, it is necessary to
make knowledge available to students.

It could be said that one of the reasons why learning to read can be so difficult for children is
that they sometimes have little relevant visual information. So, one way to make learning to read
easier would be to provide students with texts that rely on the knowledge they already have.

However, by creating effective strategies and tasks that arouse curiosity and pleasure in
students, they may even come to enjoy reading. Awakening interest in reading and discovering
the importance of identifying and understanding each paragraph of a text can help to arouse
curiosity in the reader and guide their own interpretation, helping them to feel more confident
and less indecisive.

Therefore, teachers in the classroom can and should offer students texts that provide reading
practice and, afterwards, reflection on it, to see if the reading was in fact done correctly and if
there was an adequate interpretation.
 After reading, it is valuable to have an understanding, not only for those interested in the
article, by the way, but also for the creator of the production to know that their message has been
understood in the best possible way, but most of the time with a double interpretation.

However, it is known that those who read something don't always spontaneously familiarise
themselves with what they have read, and in particular some don't even manage to do so, except
with the help of another medium. These are the people who in any case feel isolated from the
process of communication established in messages, they feel blind, deaf and dumb in the face of
the possible understanding of reading and writing, and any communicable link with the world.

In order for this to happen, it is important to involve the student in the skill of reading,
stimulating them, emphasising learning as a human being and rescuing the individual's art of
reading, because in order to learn to read, it is obviously necessary to understand the process of
reading.

Therefore, it can be seen that in the early grades there needs to be a change to better educate
students, starting with literacy. One way would be to transform routine lessons into dynamic
educational activities. In other words, through their planning, teachers should aim to arouse
curiosity, influencing students to look for books and thus making them critical citizens in relation
to the world, based on the constant and different interpretations that readers make of themselves.

However, whoever the reader is, the act of reading is always linked to the conditions for
triggering and developing fundamental points that will make a difference to political, economic
and cultural society. However, for this to happen, it is necessary for the educator to be objective,
coherent and balanced in the classroom, based on a real and comprehensive involvement related
to reading practices.

Encouragement and a variety of activities related to reading can therefore help make it easier
for students to feel the desire to read. And that the act of reading has everything to do with the
person who provides the reading exercise, in other words, the person responsible for the texts
must be concerned with awakening in the reader a critical and curious vision, so that they have
an interest in discovering new knowledge and seeking ways of understanding the world through
reading. And to form critical citizens capable of acting with reflection, involving practical and
theoretical issues.
 It is therefore up to the teaching staff of an educational unit to realise that the act of teaching
goes far beyond transferring knowledge, but that it is there as a support tool for the student in
their development, and that the practice of reading must be experienced by the student, and the
teacher must set examples.

Therefore, the educator must be attentive to the planning that will be applied throughout their
work, because if it is not ordered, it could jeopardise the individual's learning, not only as a
student, but also as a being in society, because every being is unique, and as such, must occupy
their space with dignity, certain that their ability goes beyond their practical knowledge.

However, for this to actually happen, it is up to the teacher to honour their role inside and
outside the classroom, working on methods that encourage and teach what they have learned,
leading them to believe that the best acts of learning are linked to reading and writing, so that the
individual can understand.

It is known that authenticity is required in the practice of teaching. And every human being "is
programmed to learn, so the more you prepare to teach, the more you learn, and the more you
prepare to learn, the more you teach.

Teaching requires teachers to delve deeper into reading, since they will set an example for
their students, because it's not enough just to say that practising reading is important, you have to
make reading important so that your students follow your example. That's what's most
important in this teaching and learning process.

So the more teachers get into the habit of reading, the more they will learn and consequently
have a greater baggage of knowledge to pass on to their students, and they will also give their
students the opportunity to seek out new knowledge through reading.

In this way, the purpose is to understand reading and the basic aspects of writing, giving
importance to the act of reading using all the senses, emotional and intellectual, in order to know
oneself better, learning to communicate with society, covering all forms of reading; sensory,
emotional and rational, involving knowledge of the being as a whole, in view of the growth of
the country's literate culture, the nature of reading itself, and the ability to see beyond what is
written.
 The reader in turn, to the extent that capacities are developed within him or herself, develops
an aptitude for reading, and continued reading generally reveals the experience of man himself,
because in the course of the process that interaction takes place, man-reading-society, and so we
must respect the way in which each individual learns, encouraging each one to develop the art in
his or her own way.

Therefore, teachers must be vigilant in order to facilitate learning for each of their students.
Since the Mozambican social context is marked by profound differences: social, economic,
political and cultural, this brings major challenges to the field of education, particularly with
regard to the new curriculum guidelines.

It is understood that in order to bring about change, professional ethics are required in teaching
tasks, regardless of whether one is working with children, young people or adults. It is
profoundly important to say that in an institution, it is necessary to have conscious responsible
professionals who realise that respect and dignity towards others is still fundamental in their
practice, where they will shape beings for the future.

Challenges faced by English teachers in promoting reading habits

Promoting reading habits in English is a valuable task, but one fraught with obstacles, especially
in educational contexts with limited resources.
 1. Lack of Student Motivation and Interest

Reading seen as a chore: Many students perceive reading as boring or difficult, especially if they
do not enjoy reading in their first language. This negative attitude can be even stronger for
reading in a foreign language like English.

Limited intrinsic motivation: Without a genuine interest or personal connection to texts, students
are less likely to engage deeply or develop consistent reading habits.

Competition with digital entertainment: In the age of smartphones, social media, video games,
and streaming, reading often competes with more instantly gratifying activities, making it hard
for teachers to capture students’ attention.

2. Limited Access to Appropriate Reading Materials

Lack of resources: Many schools, especially in underfunded or rural areas, lack libraries or a
sufficient variety of English reading materials suitable for different levels and interests.

Inappropriate materials: Available texts might be too difficult, culturally irrelevant, or

Cost barriers: Access to books, e-books, or subscription-based resources can be limited by

3. Language Proficiency Challenges

Difficulty with vocabulary and grammar: Students with low proficiency struggle with
comprehension, leading to frustration and avoidance of reading.

Fear of making mistakes: Students may be reluctant to read aloud or engage in reading activities
due to fear of mispronouncing words or misunderstanding the text.

Slow reading speed: Struggling readers may take too long to read, reducing the overall volume of
reading and limiting exposure to varied texts.

4. Diverse Student Backgrounds and Reading Levels

Mixed proficiency levels: Classes often contain students with widely varying English skills,
making it difficult to select texts or activities that suit everyone.
Varied cultural backgrounds: Texts that resonate with one group might feel alien or irrelevant to
others, reducing engage.

Strategies you would suggest for English teachers to promote reading habits

1. Create a space conducive to reading

Turn your classroom into a paradise for readers.

Create a cosy corner dedicated to reading, with good lighting and a variety of books to suit
different tastes. Add fun touches such as author spotlights, themed displays and book
recommendations from students to make the area cosy and inviting

2. Show your love of reading

Let your students see how much you enjoy reading by sharing your own eexperience. Talk

About the books you’re currently immersing yourself in. Your favorite genres and what you love
about reading. Your enthusiasm can motivate students to see reading as a fun and rewarding
activity.

3. Make time for independent reading

Make it a daily routine for pupils to spend some time reading on their own. This not only helps
them develop their resistance to reading, but also increases their vocabulary and integrates
reading into their daily lives.

4. Offers a wide range of reading options

Provide a mix of reading materials that appeal to various interests and skill levels. Include
everything from fiction and non-fiction to graphic novels, magazines and digital content,
ensuring every student can find something that piques their interest.

5. Let students choose their reading

6. Organise debates and book clubs.

Create opportunities for students to participate in book discussions where they can share their
ideas and perceptions. Reading clubs not only promote critical thinking and comprehension
skills, but also create a community of enthusiastic readers.

7. Use Technology to improve reading

Incorporate digital tools, such as e-book and audiobooks, to make reading more engaging and
accessible. Platforms such as Kindle and Audible offer interactive features that can capture
students’ attention and respond to different learning styles.
Conclusion

At the end of this work, we can say that reading is something that we can't reach a final
conclusion on exactly what it is, and how each human being appropriates it. In the end, we can
To paraphrase the popular saying, "labour dignifies man", reading dignifies knowledge, because
the person who reads will certainly have greater knowledge, and their chances of succeeding in
the world are greater.

conclude that the practice of reading is fundamental to the intellectual development of human
beings, and that it is one of the means to succeed in the modern world.

We know that communication has been present in the lives of human beings since the dawn of
their existence, and that it has evolved according to human needs until it reaches what we have
today, and that writing and reading are part of this process.

However, reading gives us knowledge of different places, different cultures, without even
leaving our home or classroom, but as long as it is done with pleasure and satisfaction.

That's why it's necessary to get to know the world of books, and the sooner people have access
to good reading, the easier it will be for this practice to become a daily thing, and when it comes
to students, this contact should take place both inside and outside the classroom, and it should be
seen not just as a compulsory part of a language subject.

However, reading itself goes far beyond simply decoding letters and graphic symbols. You
need to be able to understand what you have read, analyse the text, interpret and understand
between the lines of the text, and be able to make arguments.

The idea that reading is important still suffers from certain misfortunes, especially in
mozambicans public education, where for a certain period it was seen only as something to do at
school and as a compulsory practice, a requirement to pass, with compulsory reading often seen
as something boring and unbearable, and no importance was given to the benefits that reading
provides when done with pleasure, with satisfaction, being something that you do because you
enjoy it.