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For younger children, expressive read-aloud sessions, with pauses for questions and conversation, can significantly enhance vocabulary, attention span, empathy and emotional intelligence, writes Musharraf Tansen

IN TODAY’S Bangladesh, the role of teachers is more crucial than ever. As the nation aspires toward a future rooted in equity, knowledge and resilience, the path forward runs through our classrooms. Teachers do far more than transmit information. They ignite curiosity, shape values, model compassion and cultivate the thinking citizens of tomorrow. Yet, the tools available to them are often limited, and most limiting of all is our over-reliance on textbooks as the singular vehicle of learning.

Textbooks are useful. They standardise curriculum, structure the academic year, and provide essential content. But when textbooks become the only resource in a classroom, they quickly begin to confine rather than liberate learning. The call to move beyond textbooks is not a dismissal of their importance, it is a call to widen our vision, to embrace reading as a multidimensional tool for learning, creativity, empathy and critical thought. It is a call to build a reading ecosystem in every school in Bangladesh, an ecosystem that nurtures not only the ability to read but also the desire and joy that come with it.

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Window into what’s possible

TO ILLUSTRATE what a reading ecosystem can do, let us begin with a story from a riverine island in Kurigram. There I met a 10-year-old boy named Fahim. His school lacked a formal library and books beyond the textbook were a rare sight. But Fahim had something extraordinary, a teacher named Ms Ferdousi. She was not trained in library science. She didn’t have funding or official approval. But she had imagination. She created a ‘reading corner’ in her classroom using old newspapers, hand-stitched storybooks and a few dog-eared novels donated by friends.

When I asked Fahim what reading meant to him, he paused, then said something that has stayed with me: ‘Before, words were just letters on a page. Now, when I read, I see the world.’

This one sentence contains the essence of what we strive for. Fahim didn’t just learn to read; he learned to imagine, to observe, to dream. That is what a reading ecosystem can do. It doesn’t require marble libraries or glossy bookshelves. It requires only belief, creativity and a shared commitment to nurturing readers.

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Why textbooks not enough

BANGLADESH has made commendable progress in increasing access to education. School enrollment rates have improved, more children are completing primary school and girls’ education has made notable gains. These are real and important achievements. But the question remains: are our children truly learning?

The 2023 National Student Assessment conducted by the Directorate of Primary Education offered a sobering answer. It revealed that 58 per cent of Grade 5 students could not comprehend grade-level texts. This is not a statistic, it is a call for action. It tells us that too many children are being left behind, not because they lack potential, but because our education system is not feeding their minds in ways that spark comprehension, creativity and connection.

The core issue lies in how we define literacy. Too often, we reduce it to the mechanical ability to decode words or memorise grammar rules. But real literacy — functional, meaningful literacy — is about making sense of information, interpreting texts and applying knowledge to real life. Textbooks, while essential for curriculum delivery, are not designed for this. They prepare students for tests, not for life.

Children need access to diverse texts: picture books, poems, comics, science magazines, biographies, folktales, historical fiction, newspapers. These texts expand their vocabulary, improve their comprehension, expose them to different worldviews and help them make sense of the human experience. UNESCO research consistently affirms that children immersed in a print-rich environment — even in low-income homes or schools — score significantly better in comprehension, critical thinking, and empathy.

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Reading the word, world

THE Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, whose philosophy is deeply relevant to our context, challenged us to think beyond conventional definitions of literacy. According to Freire, literacy is not merely the ability to ‘read the word,’ but the ability to ‘read the world.’ This is a powerful idea. It suggests that reading is not a neutral or passive activity — it is a deeply political, moral and social act.

When children learn to read critically, they also learn to question inequality, recognise injustice, understand their environment and imagine alternatives. Reading, then, becomes an act of freedom — a way of knowing the world and changing it. In this sense, a reading ecosystem is not just about boosting academic scores. It is about raising citizens — thoughtful, informed, empathetic young people who can shape a more just and inclusive society.

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Foundations of reading ecosystem

HOW, then, do we build such an ecosystem — especially in resource-limited settings like rural schools or urban slums? The answer lies not in expensive infrastructure but in four interlinked pillars: physical environment, human factors, pedagogy and community engagement.

A vibrant reading ecosystem begins with the physical environment, but this does not mean expensive infrastructure or formal libraries. In fact, some of the most creative and inviting reading spaces have emerged in communities with the fewest resources. In India, stairwells have been transformed into ‘reading staircases’ by painting story snippets on the steps. In South Sudan, books are hung on trees to create ‘story forests.’ In Nepal, clay pots serve as mini book depositories, and teachers paste laminated story pages on classroom walls to rotate weekly. Such examples show that even corners of a classroom, a school canteen, or a corridor can be repurposed into a ‘book nook’ where children can sit, browse, and read. Walls can become ‘book trees’ featuring children’s drawings, book reviews, or favourite quotes. With recycled materials, schools can build simple bookshelves or reading mats. What matters most is not the sophistication of the space, but the atmosphere: is it safe, welcoming and joyful enough to invite a child into the world of reading?

At the heart of this ecosystem, however, are the teachers — the human element that breathes life into a culture of reading. When children see their teachers read, discuss books and express genuine enthusiasm for stories, they absorb reading as a natural and enjoyable part of life. A teacher who recommends a book or reads aloud with passion does more to nurture a lifelong reader than any textbook ever could. Teachers can cultivate this culture by forming their own book clubs, initiating reading challenges among peers, or decorating their desks with the book they’re currently reading. Small but consistent rituals — like starting the day with a read-aloud session or setting aside five minutes for ‘drop everything and read’, send a powerful message that reading is not just for exams; it is for living. But such engagement also requires institutional support. Teachers need ongoing professional development, not only in phonics and comprehension, but in how to select age-appropriate materials, support reluctant readers and design reading-rich environments. Education departments in universities and teacher training colleges must place reading methodologies at the core of their curricula, recognising that teaching reading is both a science and an art.

Equally important is how we teach reading, the pedagogy itself. Reading must not be reduced to drills and rote exercises. Instead, it should be treated as an imaginative, joyful and playful journey. For younger children, expressive read-aloud sessions, with pauses for questions and conversation, can significantly enhance vocabulary, attention span, empathy and emotional intelligence. Beyond the language classroom, reading should be woven into all subjects. Science teachers can bring in biographies of scientists or picture books on climate change; math teachers can introduce stories about budgeting at a village shop or weighing produce in a market. In Bangla or English, encouraging students to write their own poems, stories, or book reviews can develop both confidence and creativity. Peer-led reading programmes, where older students read to or mentor younger ones, are another effective approach — improving reading fluency while fostering mentorship and responsibility. When children encounter books through people they trust or look up to, the engagement becomes deeper and more lasting.

Yet, perhaps the most neglected pillar of a reading ecosystem is the community. A child’s reading life cannot begin and end within school walls. Families, neighbours, and the broader community play an essential role in making reading a social habit. Across the world, inspiring models exist. In rural Philippines, ‘story sacks’ containing books, activity cards, and games were sent home, leading to a 70 per cent rise in parent-child reading time. In Indonesia, mosques hold weekly storytelling circles. In Kenya, local storytellers, artisans, and elders share folk tales at schools, bridging the gap between oral traditions and print literacy. Similar approaches can take root in Bangladesh. NGOs, community libraries, local publishers, and cultural groups can organise book fairs, mobile libraries and reading festivals. Parents, even those who are not literate, can be trained to support their children’s literacy by asking questions about pictures, narrating family stories, or simply listening attentively as their children read aloud. When reading becomes a communal act, it builds social bonds and fosters intergenerational learning. More importantly, it affirms that reading is not merely a school task, but a shared responsibility and joy.

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Reading ecosystem

WHAT, then, does a thriving reading ecosystem look like?

First, it is teacher-led but student-driven. Students have the autonomy to choose books that speak to their interests — comics, poetry, sports, fantasy, or folklore. Teachers guide but do not dictate.

Second, it is cross-curricular and whole-school. Every subject finds ways to engage students with stories, articles, or narrative-based activities.

Third, it is inclusive and multilingual. Children deserve to see themselves in the stories they read — in their language, their neighbourhood and their cultural identity. This affirms their self-worth and encourages deeper connection with learning.

Fourth, it honours student voice and choice. Children should be allowed to read what they love, not just what is assigned. A child who reads with joy becomes a reader for life.

And finally, it connects the school with the outside world, inviting parents, libraries, local artists and community members to participate in a collective culture of reading.

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Barriers and path ahead

OF COURSE, we must acknowledge the very real barriers. Many schools lack books. Teachers are overwhelmed by administrative burdens. Parents may not be able to support reading at home. And book prices remain high in relation to average household incomes. That is why we need systemic action. Schools must include reading in their mission and school development plans, making literacy a core part of every child’s education. Governments must invest meaningfully in school libraries, continuous teacher training and the development of localised, culturally relevant book production to bridge the access gap. Development partners and publishers also have a critical role to play: they must collaborate to ensure that affordable, high-quality and inclusive reading materials reach every school and every child, regardless of geography or income. And teachers, the heart of the learning process, must continue to lead, inspire and innovate with the tools they have.

But the good news is: we don’t have to wait for top-down reform to begin. Change can start now — with one book, one story, one teacher who believes in the power of reading to transform lives.

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Future of possibility

IN THE end, building a reading ecosystem is not just about improving academic outcomes. It is about expanding children’s horizons, deepening their humanity and equipping them with the tools to thrive in an uncertain world.

A child who reads today becomes a thinker tomorrow. A school that reads becomes a community that listens, questions and grows. A nation of readers is a nation ready to meet the future with imagination and courage.

Let us go beyond textbooks. Let us build reading ecosystems. And let us raise a generation that not only reads the word, but reads the world.

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Musharraf Tansen is a PhD researcher and former country representativeÌýof the Malala Fund.