THE COGNITIVE DOMAIN AND READING

In an age dominated by digital distraction, many children spend less time on sustained reading activities and more time on their devices consuming several forms of entertainment such as video games, and social media.

From the few years I've spent in the teaching profession, I found out that the most intelligent students in each class are readers and they do not limit themselves to their academic books. Most of them have written books not yet published while others are planning to. I've realized that reading helps develop the cognitive domain in children.

Cognitive Domain
Cognitive domain is one of the domains of learning according to Bloom (1956). This domain involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills.

While the relationship between reading and cognitive development is somehow complex, it has a positive effect on the young mind.

As children engage with books, they are exposed to new ideas, experiences, and perspectives. As a result of this, their understanding of the world is broadened, and their imaginative capacity is enhanced. When children engage with texts they decode words and can make connections between different information, this in turn increases their intellectual capability.

Furthermore, reading boosts language development by exposing children to a diverse range of vocabulary and sentence structure. This enhances their communication skills and lays a solid foundation for academic prowess across various subjects including languages, social science and arts.

Being a reader at a very tender age, I outgrew my peer group. I didn't only devour English literature, I consumed books written in my mother tongue. This in turn accelerated my maturity rate. I could relate easily with people way older than I am because I have a firm grasp of the two languages.

Every great person I've seen whether physically or online are given to consistent reading. I can simply say that they read their way to the top.

However, despite the numerous benefits of reading, there is a decline in academic excellence which in part is caused by a neglect of the reading culture among young people. This has implications for the future of work, civic engagement and social interaction.

We must encourage the reading culture in our schools, communities and homes by providing high-quality literature so that we can ensure we don't breed children who are proficient in speaking and lacking in writing or deficient in both.
We must not forget that literary skills are essential in the 21st-century economy