4-DAY JAMB TECHNIQUES SEMINAR...SUMMARY REPORT SUBMITTED TO YABA LCDA

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SUMMARY REPORT OF JAMB TECHNIQUES SEMINAR WHICH TOOK PLACE FROM TUESDAY 26^TH FEBRUARY TO FRIDAY 1^ST MARCH 2013

 1.The seminar was conducted by Edupedia Associates whose Managing consultant is Mr O.O.Odumosu. (08033010872)  (www.lagosbooksclub.com).

2.It took place each day between 3pm and 6pm except on the first when there was a slight delay . Thereafter everything went well according to each day’s plan.

 DAY I

3.The chairman of the Yaba LCDA and his deputy were present to see the seminar take off. In the end he exchanged a few words with some of the students and a parent before leaving with his entourage.

4.Thereafter  students and a parent were introduced to the following:

(a)    Nature of Jamb Exams (Overall)

(b)   Nature of Jamb Questions.

 (c)    Nature of Jamb Options/Answers.

 (d)   Reasons why so many students fail Jamb Exams and what to do to avoid such.

5.These were then rounded up with a 40 - minutes test on Use of English. Students were asked to exchange their answer scripts and   made to mark them. The scores were read out and comments made to link what they were taught that day with their scores and how the latter can be improved with techniques

 DAY 2

6.Students were introduced to the following

(a)    How Jamb questions are usually set

(b)   The three major Jamb techniques namely: OPERATION SWEEP, BAFANA BAFANA and OGBUNIGWE.

(c)     What to expect before the exam, in the hall and how to apply the techniques to different questions.

(d)   Other examination hall tips given to build up their confidence and discourage them from joining those involved in examination malpractices.

7.The second day was also rounded up with another test followed by marking and comments as on the first day.

DAY 3

8.New students were introduced to what was done in the first two days.

9.Then students were told how to prepare for JAMB on the assumption that they have only 2-6 weeks of preparation for the exams.

10.They were told that no matter their backgrounds or how they were feeling about their readiness for the exams they should follow instructions given to them to the letter.

11.They were also told new ways of using Q/A booklets in a more technical and useful way than they were used to. In particular they were told how to prepare revision notes on all the subjects based on close observations of past Q/As.

12.Instead of a test they were divided into two groups and made to ask themselves questions about their understanding of what they had been taught. It was a healthy and enjoyable competition as it brought out a few misconceptions which were corrected on the spot.

 DAY 4

13.New students were again taken through what was going on from the 1^st day to that day.

14.Thereafter, students were taken through a special session on Use of English and why it was important to decode that particular paper. The questions which came out in the past five years were analyzed and students were told how to accumulate marks by avoiding usual pitfalls of other students.

15.A  32 -page handout was given to each of them followed by soft drink refreshment and group photographs.

16.Students were again divided up for a special review of all topics they had gone through during the 4 days. This was followed by a competition in which representatives of each group were allowed to ask members of the other group to show their understanding of what they learnt from the seminar.

17.An interesting twist was introduced to the competition through some elements of gaming theory which made the contest more inspiring and competitive. This was in addition to the cash prizes offered and handed over to the winning group at the end of the day.

18.The seminar was brought to a close by prayers offered for all parties involved by Mr. Agbekoba Snr.

GROUP PICS SHALL BE ADDED TO THIS POST NEXT WEEK.

PRACTISING WHAT WE PREACH!...THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS TESTIFY TO THE LIFE-CHANGING JAMB SEMINAR OF LAST WEEK!

JAMB TECHNIQUES SEMINAR HOSTED BY YABA LCDA.

YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE DOUBTFUL!

1.SANU THOMAS (08069364246)

This seminar has really given me a rest of mind. At first I was so scared about how to tackle the JAMB exam and was already thinking of how to meet those involved with exam malpractices in the exam hall. But this seminar has really given me great boldness and now I have no fear on how to tackle JAMB. Instead I am ready to destroy JAMB. Thanks to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Yaba Local Government for this excellent opportunity through EDUPEDIA ASSOCIATES. I say more grease to your elbows.

2/3.OWOLABI OLAMILEKAN (08174357906)/OWOLABI OLAMIDE (08088044105)

This programme has been a great opportunity to us because it has given us more  understanding about exams generally and objective exams in particular. With what we learnt at this  seminar we will be able to make our JAMB.So a very big thank you to Yaba Local Government Chairman Hon. Jide Jimoh and Mr Odumosu of Edupedia. May the almighty God bless them. Amen.

4.AKINTUNDE OLUWABUSAYO (08125072897)

My most sincere gratitude goes to the Yaba LCDA Chairman and Edupedia Associates for giving me the opportunity of knowing these JAMB techniques and how to tackle questions in the examination hall.

5.FALODUN ABIMBOLA(abimbolaswash@yahoo.com)(MAKOKO)

My gratitude goes to God first and the Chairman of the YABA LCDA and Edupedia Associates for giving me the opportunity to know more about JAMB techniques and how to study successfully for the exams.

6.FOLASHADE AFOLABI(08097571984)

I, Folashade  Afolabi, hereby thank the Local Government Chairman and Edupedia Associates for this JAMB seminar. I am so grateful because I gained so many things during the seminar on how to plan, practice and prepare for JAMB. Thank you very much sirs. MAY ALLAH BLESS YOU.

7.TAIWO MICHAEL (08175072343)

Thanks to the Yaba LCDA and Edupedia Associates. This seminar was life-changing for me.

8.SOLOMON SPURGEON (08083603507)

The JAMB programme was quite interesting and well-covered. The Chairman of YABA LCDA is the Best Local Government Chairman in Nigeria because he gives more attention to our educational issues.

9.HAMSON OLUWABUNMI (08093827378)

I, Hamson Oluwabunmi, wish to thank the Chairman of Yaba LCDA and Edupedia Associates for this orientative and educative seminar. It’s not only educative but fun-filled. I wish this kind of programme will continue without stopping.

10.AMOSU KAOSARAT (08125259217)

My name is AMOSU KAOSARAT. I thank the Chairman, Vice-chairman of Yaba LCDA and Edupedia Associates for all they have done for us through this JAMB seminar. I don’t have much to say than to thank you very much. I am so glad I was present. More power to your elbows.

11.TELLA ADENIYI (OLD YABA ROAD)

I, Tella Adeniyi thank the Chairman, Vice-chairman of Yaba LCDA and Edupedia Associates for this seminar which has opened my eyes to how to handle JAMB exam. I am repeating a big thanks to you all.

12.OWOMOYELA OLUYEMI SAMUEL (08139592300)

The JAMB seminar has made me more confident about passing the exams because it has taught me how to plan. I now realize that failing comes from not planning. The seminar has allowed me to knowthe techniques of JAMB and even other examinations.

13.LAWAL JIMOH (08093231605)

It was a very successful seminar that was full of unique and special ways of preparing for JAMB and any other exams. Kudos to YABA Local Government Administration and Edupedia Associates.

Little Vest

    For the Wise

            To attain the best

       In order to rise

                 MORE THAN THANKS

14.ONU UZOMA(07035164772)

I want to use this opportunity to thank the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman of the YABA LCDA and Edupedia Associates for bringing such a wonderful programme to us. I also want you to know I have learnt so many things from this programme within 4 days than I could have learnt in a tuition school for 6 months. I am particularly happy about how JAMB questions were classified, analyzed and how we were told to handle them. I will also like it to come up again for the next set of JAMB candidates because I have already passed the coming one by what I learnt at this seminar. Thank you.

15.OBARIKE EMMANUEL(OLD YABA ROAD)

I want to say a big thanks to the Local Government for organizing this great seminar for 2013 JAMB. I pray to God to continue to bless and empower Mr. Chairman, Vice chairman and Edupedia Associates in all their ways. Amen. Thank you. I am very grateful.

16.MONSURU IBRAHIM (08128254641)

I particularly thank the Local Government for giving us the minimum opportunity on this short occasion at the S.J school to learn about JAMB techniques. It was very interesting and I am excited about the fact that I can go for JAMB now without any fear. I have gained a lot in the seminar. Thanks again.

17.AGBAKOBA ANTHONY (08165994148)

I really appreciate the Local Government for organizing such a seminar. It has given us and me especially the rare opportunity in gaining the knowledge about handling JAMB exam. Thank you to Edupedia Associates.

18.LUKMAN AMINAT ABIKE(07082595299)

I thank the Local Government Chairman and Edupedia Associates for organizing such a seminar that helps in handling JAMB questions and exams. I pray God Almighty will reward them abundantly.

19. YUSUF ABOLAJI (08037169239)

I, Yusuf Abolaji from this LCDA thank the honourable Chairman for this favourable seminar given to youths like me to remove fear and some bad alternative thoughts of taking JAMB exams. We promise the LCDA that the techniques we were taught at the seminar by Mr Odumosu will be used during the coming exam to show more of our gratitude. Thanks so much

20. MR AGBAKOBA(08055161694)

  My name is Mr Agbakoba, a parent. I was present throughout the 4 days seminar organized by Edupedia Associates. My experience during the programme was that Mr. Odumosu opened the eyes of the students to what they never knew existed on how to pass exams like JAMB without cheating. Personally, I also enjoyed the program especially the way the students got to realize that there were more pleasant methods available for learning in classrooms.

ARE WE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THE WORLD BOOK DAY IN NIGERIA?...PLEASE READ THIS NARRATION!

World Book Day: The parent-child battles over a costume

Every year thousands of parents have to help with a costume for their child for World Book Day. It isn't easy, writes father-of-two Dominic Casciani.

There was a time when reading a book meant just that. In your head, out loud, to yourself or to a crowd. Whichever way, it was reading.

But not any more. It’s about dressing up. Or at least it’s about dressing up if you happen to be of school age and your teachers have been sucked into the literary-industrial complex of World Book Day.

So a few weeks ago when the slip appeared in my son’s book bag (don’t get me started on pointless bits of paper that could be emailed) announcing yet another opportunity to blow a small fortune on dressing up for one day only, my heart sank.

Before my wife and I had been able to have a grown-up discussion about what to do (as recommended in those middle-class angst parenting books that we seem to have collected but never read) it all happened very quickly.

“DAD! DAD! DAD! DAD! DAD! DAD! DAD! DAD!”

“What?”

“DAD! DAD! DAD! DAD! DAD! I KNOW WHAT I’M GOING TO BE FOR WORLD BOOK DAY!”

“Can you stop shouting and tell me in a normal voice.”

“Sorry. I want to go as a…" (dramatic pause for effect as he assumes the position) "NINJA!”

“You what?”

“A LEGO NINJAGO NINJA!!!!"

“But that’s Lego. That’s not a character from a book.”

“NO IT’S A BOOK I’VE GOT THE BOOK THE LEGEND OF ZANE! SEE! SEE! LOOK! LOOK! LOOK!”

Some parents make more of an effort than others...

“Please stop shouting. Isn’t that a catalogue?”

For the uninitiated, Lego have a range of "character encyclopaedias" which perform the same function for children as the Boden catalogue does for middle class adults.

“Remember, we got it when we went to that rubbish restaurant and I spat out all the food and was sad because I was hungry and you wouldn’t let me play Angry Birds.”

“Oh. Yeah.”

“CAN I TAKE MY SWORDS TO SCHOOL? NINJAAAAA!”

At that point, he leaps on and off the sofa and makes like Jackie Chan. I go to see Mrs C to discuss.

“Start Quote

WBD has become an excuse to dress up as characters with the most tenuous links to any literary form - it's slowly ceasing to be about reading”

“Well that’s done,” she says.

“Eh?”

She’s already been online and ordered a ninja face mask.

“Hang on. It’s World Book Day, not kung fu fighting.”

Wife looks at me sceptically and moves on to the next problem.

Now here’s the point - World Book Day is a marvellous thing. Reading liberates minds. Every page turned expands the horizons of our children’s ambitions.

But in many schools up and down the land WBD has become an excuse to dress up as characters with the most tenuous links to any literary form. It’s slowly ceasing to be about reading.

Now, I’m not against dressing up – I love seeing the little ones in infants loving the fantasy of it all.

But let’s think through what’s increasingly going on here – particularly with the boys. They see WBD as an opportunity to be Battle Force Earth Defenders or something or other.

You’ve seen the cartoon, you’ve bought the book, NOW YOU CAN BE COMMANDER TUCK “EARTHQUAKE” McCRAW.

You get the idea: it’s just another way for us to be sold a load of plastic and polyester tat. And the upshot is that every pound spent on a dress-up is a quid less on books.

Orwell was quite good at dystopian visions of the future. Would he today be predicting a new form of bookshop? One where you can choose between Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and a rack of sensible tweeds?

World Book Day

That of course will never happen. It’s as unlikely as a world where books are pinged over the internet to a handheld device, removing the need to have the bothersome things cluttering your home where they can be picked up and read by your children.

To my great relief, my daughter’s school is having none of it. They’ve told parents to cough up for a reading activity day with an author. That’s money well spent because (wait for it) IT’S ABOUT READING.

But other schools plough on, despite every parent I can think of being rather tired of the whole dressing-up thing.

So one parent I know has a 16-year-old who is turning out as a banana.

“Is that because she wanted to be the lead character in Defence-related Enzymes Induced by Elicitors of Fusarium in Banana? (£35 online).”

“No,” says mum. “We ran out of other ideas and costumes. So she decided to go as a banana.”

Banana mum’s experience is echoed in unanswered calls for help by other parents up and down the land.

Bellatrix Lestrange and the Mad Hatter

So if you want to be like Winston Smith in 1984, I propose the following mass act of rebellion for next year’s WBD dressing up.

Option one: Put a saucepan on your kid’s head and say they are a tin man or robot or something from no end of books. If your child is subsequently barred for boisterous wielding of said saucepan, you can spend it together tucked up on the sofa reading some actual books. Time well spent, and a day off work too.

Option two: Copy one hard-pressed and exasperated mum I know who is sending her son as Danny the Champion of the World. This is an utterly ingenious act of passive resistance because she is dressing him in the oldest and scruffiest clothes in the house.

Not only has she resisted yielding to the marketing machinations of toy manufacturers, she has paid tribute to one of the greatest works of modern English literature.

Of course, there is a possibility that a teacher will suspect you of spending the family budget on cheap cider rather than children’s clothes.

READ A BOOK,NOT A KINDLE!...HOW WILL NIGERIA CELEBRATE WORLD BOOK DAY NEXT MONTH?(2)

INTERESTED IN A BIT OF WORLD BOOK DAY HISTORY?

1.FROM WIKIPEDIA

World Book Day^[1] or World Book and Copyright Day (also known as International Day of the Book or World Book Days) is a yearly event on 23 April, organized by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright. In the United Kingdom, the day is instead recognised on the first Thursday in March.

World Book Day was celebrated for the first time on 23 April 1995.The connection between 23 April and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Spain as a way to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes who died on that day.

In 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on this date because of the Catalonian festival and because the date is also the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare, the death of Miguel de Cervantes, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Josep Pla, and the birth of Maurice Druon, Manuel Mejía Vallejo and Halldór Laxness.

Although 23 April is often stated as the anniversary of the deaths of both William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, this is not strictly correct. Cervantes died on 22 April and was buried on 23 April according the Gregorian calendar; however, at this time England still used the Julian calendar. Whilst Shakespeare died on 23 April by the Julian calendar in use in his own country at the time, he actually died eleven days after Cervantes because of the discrepancy between the two date systems. The apparent correspondence of the two dates was a fortunate coincidence for UNESCO.

World Book Day by country

Ireland

In Ireland the day is held annually on the first Thursday in March and is organized in conjunction with World Book Day in the UK.^[2]

Spain

To celebrate this day Cervantes' Don Quixote is read during a two-day "readathon" and the Miguel de Cervantes Prize is presented by the King in Alcalá de Henares.

In Catalonia, Spain, since 1436, St. George's Day has been 'The Day of the Rose', where the exchange of gifts between sweethearts, loved ones and respected ones occurs. It is analogous to Valentine's Day. Although the World Book and Copyright Day has been celebrated since 1995 internationally, the first time that books where also exchanged in 'The Day of the Rose' in Catalonia was in 1926 to commemorate the death of Cervantes.

Sweden

In Sweden, the day is known as Världsbokdagen (World Book Day), and the copyright part is seldom mentioned. Normally celebrated on April 23, it was moved to avoid a clash with Easter to April 13 in the year 2000^[3] and 2011.^[4]

United Kingdom

Main article: World Book Day (United Kingdom)

In the United Kingdom, World Book Day is held annually on the first Thursday in March, to avoid the established international 23 April date due to clashes with Easter school holidays, and the fact that it is also the National Saint's Day of England, St George's Day.

2.World Book Day, UK

The connection between 23 April and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Spain as a way to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes who died on that day.

In 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on this date because of the Catalonian festival and because the date is also the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare, the death of Miguel de Cervantes, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Josep Pla, and the birth of Maurice Druon, Manuel Mejía Vallejo and Halldór Laxness.

Although 23 April is often stated as the anniversary of the deaths of both William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, this is not strictly correct. Cervantes died on 22 April and was buried on 23 April according the Gregorian calendar; however, at this time England still used the Julian calendar. Whilst Shakespeare died on 23 April by the Julian calendar in use in his own country at the time, he actually died eleven days after Cervantes because of the discrepancy between the two date systems. The apparent correspondence of the two dates was a fortunate coincidence for UNESCO.

Here in the UK we celebrate World Book Day on the first Thursday in March as this does not clash with Easter Holidays and schools can then celebrate World Book Day.

The United Kingdom’s own version of World Book Day began in 1998, launched by Prime Minister Tony Blair at the Globe Theatre in London. Several million schoolchildren in Great Britain were given a GB£1 special World Book Day Book Token (€1.50 in Ireland) which could be redeemed against any book in any UK bookshop. A specially created WBD anthology priced at £1 (€1.50 in Ireland) was also published. All World Book Day point of sale and the £1 book carried the special World Book Day logo to help unify the initiative through all outlets.

Since then, World Book Day UK has followed a similar pattern, gradually growing each year to encompass more initiatives, such as Spread The Word, Quick Reads Initiative and Books for Hospitals. Every year, the number of children receiving a World Book Day Book Token has increased.

In 2000, instead of a single £1 special anthology, four separate £1 books were published, covering a wider age-range. Since then, each year has seen a new set of special £1 books published.

In 2006, World Book Day began its support of and association with the Quick Reads^[1] initiative for adult emergent readers.

In 2007, World Book Day celebrated its 10th anniversary with the publication of 10 £1 books. Since then every child in full-time education in the UK and Ireland is entitled to receive a £1 World Book day Book token every year. They can swap their WBD token for one of specially-produced £1 WBD books or they can get £1 off a full-price book or audio book priced £2.99 or more.

In September 2007, World Book Day announced the revamp of the Spread the Word promotion for 2008 into an on-line book group featuring a number of adult books which would be suitable to book Groups. A short list of 10 titles was announced on 1 February 2008, and the winning book, Boy A by Jonathan Trigell (published by Serpent’s Tail) was revealed on World Book Day 2008, 6 March 2008.^[2] World Book Day 2008 was declared by The Bookseller magazine to be more successful than any previous World Book Day.^{[3]     :}Wikipedia

I myself do enjoy reading and like to encourage my children to read also. My eldest would much prefer to be read to, but my middle son is really beginning to get to grips with reading and is getting a lot more pleasure from a book, both fiction and non fiction. World Book Day does create a lot of excitement for us and dressing as our favorite book charater certainly stretches our imagination and creativity!

 I hope you can guess who we are?

READ A BOOK,NOT A KINDLE!...HOW WILL NIGERIA CELEBRATE WORLD BOOK DAY NEXT MONTH?(1)

Happy World Book Day! What’s World Book Day?

Digital Vision / Getty Images

Today, March 7, British citizens are celebrating World Book Day. The rest of us will have to wait a few more weeks.

Huh?

Let us explain. World Book Day was started by UNESCO (the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and is celebrated on Apr. 23 — a date chosen, according to UNESCO, to mark the day in 1616 that saw the deaths of Cervantes, Shakespeare, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. The event is meant to honor authors and encourage literacy. And it’s not just World Book Day. It’s also UNESCO’s Copyright Day, meant to urge implementation of copyright-protection conventions around the world.

(MORE: Ouch! Check Out the Harshest Book Review of the Year)

The U.K. and Ireland version of World Book Day is observed earlier, partly due to working around school holidays, and involves a literacy-promoting charity — as well as something the rest of the world is missing: costumes.

As the BBC recounts, the day is often marked by children dressing up as their favorite literary characters—even when those characters are only slightly book-related. In this particular complaint, the character in question is a Lego ninja—and the day ends up not so much about books after all:

There was a time when reading a book meant just that. In your head, out loud, to yourself or to a crowd. Whichever way, it was reading.

But not any more. It’s about dressing up. Or at least it’s about dressing up if you happen to be of school age and your teachers have been sucked into the literary-industrial complex of World Book Day.

Somehow we doubt that UNESCO will be adding World Literary-Industrial Complex Day to the calendar any time soon…

By Lily Rothman/ENTERTAINMENT TIME.COM

Happy World Book Day! Some Interesting Facts

In honour of World Book Day, which is being celebrated today in the UK, we thought we’d delve into the interesting stories and trivia hiding behind some of the most popular and successful books ever written. So, here goes…



The biggest-selling book written in English is Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities. Dickens’s 1859 novel about the French Revolution (the ‘two cities’ of the title are London and Paris) is in many ways his most untypical book: of the fifteen novels he wrote (including the unfinished The Mystery of Edwin Drood), it is arguably the least comic (with Hard Times not far ahead of it for laughs). Since no small part of Dickens’s perennial popularity is surely his genius for comedy, along with his portrayals of Victorian London, it seems odd that this novel – which is largely set in Paris – should be his most popular. But it is, in terms of sales: an estimated 200 million copies have been sold over the last 150-odd years, making it the bestselling book in the English language.

The second and third bestselling books in English are both by J. R. R. Tolkien. Yes, The Lord and the Rings and The Hobbit are, respectively, the second and third biggest-selling books written originally in the English language, making Tolkien’s combined sales from these two books (if you follow Tolkien’s lead and see The Lord of the Rings as a single novel, rather than a trilogy) an estimated 250 million. Not bad, considering that The Hobbit started life one day when Tolkien was bored marking university exam papers at Oxford…

There are numerous bestselling novels which are longer than War and Peace. Although War and Peace is famous principally for being such a long novel, there are many classics which surpass it for their sheer word count. Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy, Samuel Richardson’s Clarissa, and Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time/Remembrance of Things Past are among the most famous novels which out-War and Peace War and Peace. But Tolstoy produced the definitive ‘long novel’. His original title for the novel was All’s Well That Ends Well (same as the Shakespeare play). Woody Allen once said: ‘I just speed-read War and Peace. It’s about some Russians.’

Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar has sold around 30 million copies. This classic children’s book was originally called ‘A Week with Willi Worm’, with the main protagonist being a bookworm.

The Harry Potter book series is the biggest selling series of novels ever published. J. K. Rowling’s seven novels about the boy wizard have sold around 450 million copies collectively, and have helped to popularise the word ‘muggle’ … although the word ‘muggle’ dates back, with various meanings, to the thirteenth century. (It originally meant ‘a tail resembling that of a fish’.)

The first official World Book Day was celebrated on 23 April 1995. This is partly because Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare both died on this date, 23 April 1616 (although, in point of fact, Cervantes had died the day before). William Wordsworth would also die on 23 April, 1850 – St. George’s Day. Indeed, a truly international World Book Day is still celebrated on 23 April every year.

We hope you enjoyed our special World Book Day facts! Have a enjoyable and literary day, and go lose yourself in a good book this day of all days…

World Book Day: What does reading mean to you?

Hopefully you know that today is World Book Day. And if you don’t, then you should. Because it is a celebration of reading; one of the most enjoyable things in the world to do… And something that everyone needs to do more of. Reading is something I feel quite passionately about so, if you don’t feel the same, probably best to switch off now.

World Book Day is now in its 16^th year, and is the opportunity for children of all ages to come together to appreciate reading in every which way they can.

The very heart of it is about encouraging children to explore the pleasure of reading, by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own; thanks to National Book Tokens Ltd. But, thinking about World Book Day, got me considering books in general and the bigger picture.

The key thing for me is the books themselves, I love everything about them. I love going to the library, browsing the shelves, choosing the ones I want to read, and then checking them out on my library card. I love old books, I love new books, I love long books, I love short books.

But libraries all across the UK are closing all the time, and these are the cheapest and best way for children to be able to explore the concept of reading. So if this kind of facility is dying, how can we expect them to really get pleasure from books in the same way that we did when we were growing up?

It makes me sad to think that they might never get involved in a Famous Five adventure, want to be a member of the Saddle Club, or laugh themselves silly at The Twits.

I can imagine that most of you, by now, are thinking that I have missed a fairly important point… Digital. Kindle. E-Book. Whatever else you might want to call it. I have not missed it, or forgotten it, I just don’t think it is the same. Happy to discuss, but prepare yourself for a healthy debate! That is only when it comes to reading books though.

In other areas of my life I will embrace digital. Particularly when it comes to the news, which is another one of my favourite things; and brings me back to what I am probably supposed to be discussing on the Speed blog!

Reading for me is not just about books. I will quite literally devour anything. And that includes news. Which is so critical in the PR and communications industry. I don’t think anyone could do this job without being one step ahead of the news at all times, particularly in the corporate team. We need to know everything that is going on with everything, in order to relate to our clients, their business issues, the markets they operate in and so on…

So if you want to work in corporate PR, I would suggest you do the following:

-          Read the news

-          Read the news

-          Read the news

And if you ever want to work with me, I would suggest you do the following:

-          Read a book (not a Kindle)!

by lauraimregi