How Do Students Benefit From Newspapers in the Classroom?

How Do Students Benefit From Newspapers in the Classroom?

Does the newspaper help students learn? The Newspaper Association of America Foundation has conducted the latest research at the national level. Several decades of education and readership research have provided the following general conclusions:

  • Students who use the newspaper in school read more sections of the newspaper and show significantly greater interest in local government, neighborhood events, current issues and foreign affairs.
  • Children who frequently read newspapers are more likely than nonreaders to be reading other things in daily life.
  • Students who use the newspaper in school have less trouble reading it, have more positive attitudes toward it and are more likely to read it on their own.
  • People who read newspapers regularly are more likely to be active voters.
  • In a three-year study of NIE in Volusia County, Florida, students in NIE groups showed significantly superior gains in spelling and vocabulary in their classes than did nonreaders.
  • In a six-week reading improvement program for 13-year-old elementary school students whose reading performance was at second-, third-, or fourth-grade levels, the performance of two-thirds of the 743 students went up more than a grade level. Ten students gained two years and two children gained more than three years. The results were attributed to using newspapers and magazines.
  • Research by Dr. Dan Sullivan of the University of Minnesota examined programs in 22 cities across the country. The study compared test scores of students who had used the newspaper in class with those who had not. In all 22 cases, those student who used the newspaper scored better on standardized reading test than did those who did not. Minority students and those who were not native English speakers showed the greatest achievement. (2002, NAA Foundation.)

TOP 10 REASONS TO USE NEWSPAPERS IN THE CLASSROOM

  1. It is an influential and integral part of our society. Freedom of the press is guaranteed under the Constitution.
  2. Newspapers are more timely than textbooks. They are updated daily and keep students informed on current events.
  3. Newspaper news stories are models of clear and concise writing; the newspaper also contains many different types of writing models: narrative, persuasive, expository. Newspaper stories are also written for various reading levels.
  4. With the electronic newspaper, select pages can be printed and then marked, cut, pasted and colored — which makes it useful for young children even before they learn how to read. It’s active, not passive, learning.
  5. The newspaper is such a vast store of information. It contains something for everyone: science as it happens, real math problems, sequencing using comic strips. The list could go on and on.
  6. Newspapers bridge the gap between the classroom and the “real” world. Students learn life skills, make career decisions, and become more motivated to learn by using the newspaper in the classroom. .
  7. Newspapers can stand alone as teaching tools — or be used as supplements to other instructional materials, such as the Internet.
  8. The advantages of using the newspaper in the classroom is well-documented by research. (A compilation of this research is available in “The Newspaper: A Reference Book for Teachers and Librarians,” by Dr. Edward F. DeRoche, 1991.)
  9. Newspapers In Education programs have a wealth of additional services to offer teachers such as in-service workshops (at a nominal fee), advisory boards, free newspaper-based curriculum materials on every subject under the sun.
  10. Participation in NIE is FREE to educators!

OTHER BENEFITS

For Schools:

  • Sharpens thinking skills.
  • Increases student’s interest and motivation by providing study materials relevant to their lives.
  • Prepares students for active citizenship in their democracy.
  • Heightens teachers’ interest in new teaching techniques.
  • Involves schools in the lives of the communities they serve.
  • Improves relations with student’s families.
  • Responds to the needs of local businesses as future employers.
  • Helps prepare students for state and national standardized tests.

For The Community:

  • Enhances the quality of citizen participation in schools and local government through better mutual understanding among journalists, educators, students and parents.
  • Transforms students into interested, active citizens.
  • Recognizes newspapers as the main source of continuing education for members of the community once they are no longer in the classroom.

Many people have habits of reading daily newspapers that their days seem incomplete without taking hold of early morning newspapers. Here are some of the benefits that you can get by reading daily newspapers:

  • Newspapers carry the news of the world. By reading it, you will become updated with current events not only in your nation but news about other countries as well.
  • Newspapers provide information and general knowledge. Reading it daily will widen the scope of your knowledge which is an integral part of education and very useful especially for student. Newspapers can provide interesting things and ideas which can assist students in their learning process at school. Not only are the news itself that are beneficial for students, but it also develop their language skills and increases their word vocabulary.
  • Newspapers provide news about a country’s economic situation, sports, games, entertainment, trade and commerce. People are made aware of the existing condition of politics, culture and economy by reading the news. Those who hunger for news will surely find satisfaction by reading the newspapers as it carries information of various topics.
  • Reading newspaper makes a good habit and it is already part of the modern life. This habit will widen your outlook and will enrich your knowledge. It will likewise improve your English as reading English news is a good practice.
  • Reading newspaper makes you well informed. It enables you to take part in every discussion pertaining to the world’s current events. By taking an active participation in group discussions, it will make you feel that you belong in an enlightened society. The only thing that can stop you from joining talks and discussion is if you are ignorant of what is happening around you.
  • Reading newspapers will improve your knowledge in general and it will be easy for you to relate to other people who often talks about current events and politics. Of course, there are televisions and radios that also bring current news but it do not provide detailed information as newspaper does.
  • Through newspapers, you will have a clear idea and understanding of what is happening in your country and the whole world. It also carries contents about policies and plans of government and corporations. It has also plenty of advertisements that will keep you updated about what is going on in the world of business and industry.
  • Newspaper is a printed paper which carries news and views of home and abroad to us. Newspaper comes out everyday with news and advertisement. The information which we get from any of these directions is called news. China was the first country to publish newspapers in the 16th Newspaper is different kinds. These are – dailies, weeklies, monthlies, periodicals etc.
  • Our is an age of modern science. Modern science has invented new ways and means for our comforts. Reading newspaper is beyond doubt a good habit. Newspaper is the mirror of the day.

  Importance of Reading Newspaper:

  • Newspaper brings us the news of the world. So the importance of newspaper reading is great. A man becomes well-versed in the current politics and political incidents of the world. It helps the nation to form national integration. It develops the outlook of the people of all sectors.
  • Newspaper is a store house of knowledge. General Knowledge is an essential part of education. Newspaper is the best means for acquiring knowledge. The students can know very interesting things by reading a newspaper. The reading of newspaper is very useful for the students to develop their language ability and knowledge of the world.
  • Newspaper can give us a clear idea of the current events of the country and the world. The newspaper also brings out the plans and policies of the corporations and the government. Newspaper is the best medium of advertisements concerning business, trade and industry.
  • A person who does not read newspapers is like one shut up in a closed door. We may have the radio and the television today, but they do not give us detailed information as the newspaper does.
  • First and foremost all the students do not have an access to personal computers and the internet, but the newspapers reach everyone.
  • Lots of information encompassing current affairs, politics, science and technology, education, health, medicine, sports, industry and the markets can be received anywhere at any time of the day through newspapers.
  • Important data, timetables, advertisements, courses and career options for various categories of students appear in newspapers.
  • Reading newspapers automatically improves one’s language skills. News items and articles are written by learned and intelligent people. They know how to use language as an efficient tool for expression and communication. Precision and meticulous use of words and expressions comes naturally to them. One can imbibe these qualities easily by paying attention to language and style while going through news items and articles in a newspaper.
  • One can sharpen one’s communication skills, i.e. reading and writing. By reading newspapers regularly at an appointed time reading and comprehension abilities get enhanced. The more one reads, new words and expressions reveal their meaning to the reader’s mind. Automatically the vocabulary gets enriched and the language becomes richer, fluent and more expressive.
  • Newspapers are a treasure trove of information for students preparing for competitions and contests. Knowledge coupled with good expression sets the stage for success in any examination.

What to avoid:-

It is an art to source useful information from newspapers as all the information may not be use to a particular reader.

  • Students are short of time and should therefore avoid gossip columns and crime news which is of no immediate concern to them.
  • Avoid going through unnecessary advertisements.
  • Avoid even political news of little national importance and which can mislead the youth.
  • Ignore news about superstitions and magic formulas promising success without hard work.

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