MUSIC AS INCENTIVE FOR REVIVING READING CULTURE AMONG NIGERIAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ PUPILS: ROLE OF THE MUSIC EDUCATOR

Abstract

Reading is a requisite to all academic activities and success all over the world. A child that cannot read may certainly not be able to learn anything significant in school. Many scholars have expressed their worries on poor reading culture among the contemporary schools’ children and the problem it may constitute for present and future societal development as some local languages might be endangered and mighty eventually phase out of the language corridor and this is due to the high level of apathy demonstrated by the present day pupils to reading. This paper lends it voice to the issue of interest and reading among primary school pupils by suggesting music as one the solution to improving the reading interest among the Nigerian primary school pupils since one of the problems to poor reading culture is waning interest. The paper argued that music serves as incentive for sustaining pupils’ interest in reading any material prepared for them in primary school. There is little or no study that has examined the beneficial relationship that music activities may have on early grade reading acquisition and development of reading ability in Nigeria. This unique area of research is particularly crucial and relevant to contemporary Nigeria schooling, considering the significance of early reading ability on learners’ overall school performance and learning efficacy.