A Study on Cultivating Independent Reading Skills in Element

A Study on Cultivating Independent Reading Skills in Elementary Chinese Language
Introduction
Reading is not only a fundamental skill that people master but also a primary means for them to acquire knowledge. As a teacher, I am deeply aware of the immense responsibility and noble mission I bear, but at the same time, I also recognize areas where I need improvement. The ability to read plays an undeniable core role in elevating individual knowledge levels and propelling comprehensive societal development. Therefore, strengthening the independent learning skills of elementary and middle school students, especially providing robust training in their extracurricular reading skills, becomes particularly crucial. In the context of school behavior education, nurturing students' autonomous reading abilities is a vital component. Cultivating excellent habits of independent reading in elementary students not only contributes to enhancing their personal qualities but also provides high-quality talent support for the country's future development. Up to now, extensive research has been conducted on defining training, cultivating paths, training methods, and evaluation tools for elementary students' reading skills, but most research methods still heavily rely on experiments and surveys. This paper adopts a research approach that integrates observation and interviews, aiming to delve into how to cultivate language reading skills in low-grade elementary students. This research project aims to delve into the training of Chinese language reading and writing abilities in senior middle school students through observational methods and individual interviews. It hopes to offer more authentic and specific research findings in the relevant field, providing valuable references for educational practices.
Ⅰ Current Situation of Independent Reading in Primary School Chinese
Learning is considered an efficient way of acquiring knowledge, and students' self-learning is the result of their diligent efforts, as well as a tangible manifestation of their learning journey. Reading not only brings lifelong benefits to an individual but also contributes to improving their character and cultivation. The primary way most students gather information is through their independent learning. Therefore, in elementary Chinese language education, nurturing and enhancing students' independent reading skills are particularly crucial.

1.1 Students have limited independent reading abilities
1.1.1 Students lack proactivity.
A student's enthusiasm for independent reading is a crucial factor in determining their reading ability. In the process of primary school language education, the key to cultivating and enhancing students' awareness and skills in independent reading lies in guiding them to master reading techniques, enabling them to develop a passion for learning during the independent reading process. At this stage, elementary school students do not have a high interest in independent reading, with only comics playing a dominant role in reading activities. Comics, as a unique artistic form, provide children with a relaxed and enjoyable learning and understanding environment. However, due to the constraints of the exam-oriented education system, many teachers have not provided proper guidance and cultivation for it. This set of works has not successfully helped students develop outstanding independent reading abilities. Only when we fully stimulate students' enthusiasm for learning can we transition from leisure learning to active learning and further ignite their passion for learning.
1.1.2 Students lack effective reading methods.
For elementary school students, teachers are not only the most worthy role models for them, but their actions and words also have an immediate impact on students. Therefore, as Chinese language teachers in elementary school, we should consider reading education as a top priority, helping students cultivate healthy reading habits, and striving to enhance their overall abilities. Nevertheless, many Chinese elementary school teachers still adhere to traditional teaching philosophies, such as instructing students on how to identify new words and read articles, leading to students neglecting this crucial aspect of reading during the teaching process. This situation has resulted in some elementary school Chinese language teachers being reluctant to involve students in extracurricular reading activities, making their reading instruction formalized and difficult to truly reflect its intrinsic value. These factors largely limit the progress of elementary school Chinese language reading education and do not contribute to improving the education level in our country. Therefore, elementary school Chinese language teachers need to emphasize cultural knowledge and teaching methods, approaching the improvement of Chinese elementary students' reading abilities from various aspects.
1.1.3 Lack of connection between in-class and out-of-class reading
There is an old saying that goes, 'After perusing numerous volumes, the strokes of the pen are like those of a deity.' Therefore, as elementary school Chinese teachers, we should consider reading education as a top priority, helping students cultivate healthy reading habits, and striving to enhance their overall abilities. The more books you read, the higher the value of the information you gain. In fact, for students, extracurricular reading activities hold great importance. However, in the current educational context, many parents and teachers not only focus on students' after-school reading but also use delaying reading as an excuse, wasting precious time and not encouraging students to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, but only encouraging them to read. If teachers can effectively guide students in extracurricular reading activities, it will help students grasp the basic concepts of Chinese more deeply and enhance their ability to interpret textual content. Indulging in the reading of textbooks not only burdens students psychologically but also fails to effectively promote their knowledge accumulation, let alone contribute to the all-round growth of students' collective knowledge. Furthermore, for students, extracurricular learning is not very attractive; they often find themselves passively immersed in extracurricular readings. If elementary school Chinese teachers do not use appropriate teaching materials during the teaching process, it may have an adverse impact on students' learning abilities, hindering their further growth and improvement.
1.2 The school lacks emphasis on independent reading.
1.2.1 The school does not place enough emphasis on reading.
Students mainly engage in reading activities at school. According to relevant studies, very few educational institutions offer courses specifically designed for reading. The majority of elementary school students receive reading guidance during the Chinese language teachers' classroom instruction. However, due to the limited duration of Chinese language classes, students have relatively short time for reading guidance. Additionally, the limited number of school reading activities and the inadequate utilization of the library restrict the cultivation of students' independent reading abilities to some extent.
1.2.2 Teachers lack professional competence.
Among the numerous schools today, Chinese language teachers primarily focus on students' academic performance, with other educational and teaching activities making necessary concessions for the cultural curriculum. As a result, many teachers overly prioritize teaching work, neglecting the cultivation and enhancement of their overall qualities. This situation has led to some Chinese language teachers lacking sufficient ability in autonomous reading instruction; they fail to adopt effective teaching strategies, preventing students from actively engaging in reading, while also lacking essential professional knowledge.
1.2.3 The school lacks reading resources
According to the latest standards of educational curriculum reform, schools are obligated to ensure that students have access to sufficient reading resources. Consequently, many teachers, in the process of teaching, excessively focus on task completion, neglecting the cultivation and enhancement of their own comprehensive qualities. However, the current situation indicates that the reading materials provided by schools are, in reality, quite scarce. Although materials and reference books of this type exist, primarily aimed at enhancing students' reading abilities, the truly effective resources for improving students' reading skills are, in fact, quite rare. Therefore, in order to elevate the educational standards of schools and provide students with effective extracurricular reading guidance, becomes particularly crucial.

1.3 The teacher's concept of reading instruction is incorrect.
1.3.1 Outdated Teaching Concepts
The new teaching philosophy clarifies the responsibilities of teachers and emphasizes the guidance role they should play in students' learning journey. Therefore, many schools set up reading rooms in their classrooms, allowing teachers and students to conveniently borrow books and thereby facilitate the acquisition of necessary knowledge. Consequently, in regular education and teaching processes, teachers need to delve into students' reading needs and ensure providing sufficient time for reading activities. In the teaching process of elementary Chinese, reading instruction occupies a crucial position. However, in actual teaching, teachers seldom provide students with opportunities for active reading, and guidance on students' reading is relatively limited.
1.3.2 Monotonous Teaching Methods
At this stage, the independent reading education method used by elementary Chinese language teachers appears rather monotonous. Students have the ability to absorb knowledge through independent reading and apply this knowledge to practical operations, thereby comprehensively enhancing their overall quality. It mainly relies on the form of classroom teaching, lacking organized related reading activities. This situation leads to a lack of depth in students' understanding of reading knowledge. However, it is difficult to truly follow the teaching concept of teaching according to students' aptitude when formulating students' reading teaching plans, due to the influence of outdated teaching concepts and outdated teaching methods. This situation has long weakened students' interest in reading and brought negative effects on the cultivation of their autonomous reading abilities.
1.3.3 Overlooking Individual Differences in Students
Within the student community, there are significant differences among individuals. Many elementary school students do not realize that they are learning independently, nor do they apply the knowledge they have learned to practical tasks. This results in a lack of deep understanding of the text, let alone practical application and extension. In the standard reading teaching process, Chinese language teachers often overlook the real needs of students. This phenomenon leads to a large number of students developing preferences for the same book, while lacking interest in different types of articles. They often find the content of texts with certain difficulties or depth monotonous and dull. During the education process, students generally adhere to uniform teaching strategies and guidelines. Because teachers fail to fully consider the individual differences of students, they excessively emphasize how students should choose reading materials, leading to students feeling bored with reading and further hindering the development of their independent reading abilities.

Ⅱ Analysis of Issues in Primary School Students' Independent Reading
2.1 Teacher's cultivation of students' reading habits
2.1.1 Students lack the correct concept of independent reading.
Many students do not have a deep enough understanding of independent reading. When they browse materials such as storybooks, newspapers, magazines, or online novels, they often fail to truly realize the crucial role independent reading plays in enhancing personal comprehensive abilities. In traditional teaching methods, the majority of teachers base their instruction on textbooks, often overlooking the attention to the unique personalities of each student, leading to many students losing their enthusiasm for learning. There is also a group of students who hold a clear utilitarian attitude towards independent reading; their goal is to gain approval from parents or educators, thereby participating in various reading activities. This group of students only sees independent learning as a form of pressure, without genuinely improving their language skills and comprehension on a real level, let alone efficiently utilizing spare time for extracurricular reading.
2.1.2 The students lack good reading habits.
Many students are not enthusiastic about reading; their main focus is still on exams. During students' daily rest periods, they prefer to indulge in the pleasures of watching TV and playing games rather than investing their precious time in appropriate reading plans. Many students are not eager to actively master reading methods and skills; they are more passive in accepting teachers' guidance and explanations. This passive learning attitude may lead some students to lose confidence in self-development due to a lack of interest in learning, thus adversely affecting their future learning and life. The insufficient enthusiasm of students for reading greatly restricts their ability to read independently and leads to unhealthy habits in the reading process. There is no organized or purposeful reading activity. Therefore, enhancing elementary students' reading skills outside of class has become a core issue. The reading method is determined by the actual needs of teachers and parents. 3. The reading method is single, and the reading efficiency is not high.
The students' reading habits are relatively monotonous; they often appear rigid and swift, lacking in-depth understanding of the content and resorting to rapid scanning. This results in students having little opportunity to read books during their leisure time. Many students reflect that after finishing a classic work, they often need a month's time, which leads to less than ideal reading outcomes. Consequently, many elementary students do not enjoy reading, let alone studying; they feel their abilities are not strong enough. In their daily after-school hours, I have not cultivated the habit of active reading or proactive reading.
2.2 Reasons for Teachers' Autonomous Reading Instruction
2.2.1 Primary school Chinese language teachers do not pay enough attention to independent reading.
The fundamental reason for the lack of enthusiasm among primary school Chinese teachers towards students is closely related to not giving them enough attention and importance. As a result, many students perceive reading as a monotonous activity, lacking enthusiasm for it, and even some students dare not engage in actual reading activities due to fear of reading. Up to now, there hasn't been a significant improvement in ethnic language education at the primary school level. Considering the young age of primary school students, their understanding of things is relatively weak. During the primary school years, Chinese teachers have not paid enough attention and importance to improving students' reading abilities and autonomous learning skills.
2.2.2 Elementary Chinese language teachers lack proper guidance for students
There are noticeable shortcomings in the process of guiding students for independent reading by primary school Chinese language teachers. In China's minority regions, due to various factors such as history and geography, the level of educational development is relatively low. Most Chinese language teachers only fulfill their reading tasks. Due to a lack of effective guidance and assistance, students fail to develop good habits of independent reading, directly impacting their learning outcomes in the reading teaching process. Therefore, although primary school Chinese language teachers possess the ability to compel students to read in the classroom, the ultimate reading results still fall short of expectations.
2.2.3 The design of the reading instruction is not reasonable.
In the process of conducting educational and teaching activities, primary school Chinese language teachers should design teaching plans reasonably based on the specific content of the curriculum. Many schools do not provide specialized reading courses for students but instead choose to have Chinese language teachers guide and teach. In the Chinese language curriculum of primary schools, reading instruction is an important component. In the current new curriculum environment, Chinese language reading education faces unprecedented challenges and stricter standards. At the same time, when conducting reading instruction, Chinese language teachers should also adjust according to the actual needs of students. However, at this stage, there are still limitations in the application of teaching design by school teachers. Under the traditional classroom teaching model, many teachers tend to use conventional teaching methods to impart knowledge rather than applying these methods to reading instruction, resulting in students lacking time for active reading learning. Therefore, students often show weaker performance and longer duration in reading skills, which does not contribute to improving their independent reading abilities.

2.3 Reasons related to the school
2.3.1 Focusing solely on achievements while neglecting reading
Currently, many schools still use students' exam scores as their assessment criteria. Employing scientific and efficient classroom teaching strategies can inspire elementary school students' enthusiasm and initiative, helping them absorb knowledge more deeply and further promoting their personal growth. Due to specific evaluation standards followed by elementary Chinese language teachers, they tend to focus more on the knowledge of cultural courses, relatively allocating less time to students' independent reading abilities. As a result, many elementary students fail to cultivate healthy reading habits. This situation leads to a decreased emphasis on reading, along with a lack of autonomous reading methods.
2.3.2 Insufficient emphasis on professional training for teachers
At this current stage, primary school Chinese language teachers generally hold more conservative teaching beliefs and have not given the attention and importance that students' autonomous reading abilities deserve. Despite the existence of assessment standards, many times, it overlooks sparking students' enthusiasm for learning and self-driven capabilities. The root of this problem lies in the insufficient training of primary school Chinese language teachers. In traditional educational approaches, primary school Chinese language teachers mainly focus on knowledge transmission, leading to relatively low enthusiasm for learning among students. Due to the limited training opportunities for primary school Chinese language teachers, they find it challenging to be influenced by advanced educational concepts. This results in their inability to effectively improve reading methods, consequently generally lowering the overall reading teaching proficiency of primary school Chinese language teachers.
2.3.3 Lack of a conducive reading environment
Schools provide students with a crucial platform for education and the cultivation of study habits. Therefore, the rich reading curriculum in schools reflects a high level of attention to students. Influenced deeply by traditional educational philosophies, most schools lack sufficient emphasis on students' autonomous reading abilities. There is also a relatively low investment in funds for reading activities, leading to a lack of an effective reading environment for students, further hindering the comprehensive development of their independent reading skills. This has diminished students' enthusiasm for reading.
Ⅲ Strategies to Enhance Primary School Students' Independent Reading Skills in Chinese Language
3.1 Cultivate students' good reading habits
3.1.1 Cultivate a proper attitude towards reading
To enhance the independent reading ability of elementary school students, the most crucial step is to adjust their learning mindset. With the continuous advancement of our country's education system reform, strengthening the guidance and supervision of extracurricular reading activities for primary school students has become a crucial task in the current quality education system. Therefore, as teachers, there is an obligation to guide students in changing their negative attitudes towards learning. Next, teachers have a responsibility to provide effective guidance for students, encouraging them to actively participate in the teaching process of reading. We need to clarify our own reading direction and actively engage in reading activities, which will give students more opportunities to share their reading insights and experiences with family and classmates in their daily learning and life. Through in-depth reading, not only can personal knowledge be expanded, and personal cultivation be improved, but it also contributes to the cultivation of students' excellent character. Being able to transform the idea of reading into "I aspire to read"
3.1.2 Develop good reading habits
Cultivating healthy reading habits is crucial for enhancing students' independent reading abilities. Teachers have the responsibility to stimulate students' active thinking and foster their ability to think independently. Like other life and learning patterns, cultivating reading habits is also a key factor in inspiring students to read actively. If children lack good reading habits, it will have a significant negative impact on their knowledge absorption, and may even lead to a loss of confidence and enthusiasm for learning. Therefore, whether educators or parents of students, they should ensure that students develop excellent reading habits from an early age, cultivate healthy reading behaviors, and guide them in meaningful reading activities.
3.1.3 Mastering Reading Techniques
Considering that elementary school students are in a crucial stage of their growth, some of them have not yet mastered efficient reading methods. Cultivating good reading habits in elementary school students not only helps them accumulate a rich knowledge base but also assists them in better adapting to the development demands of the new era, laying a solid foundation for the future society. Inappropriate reading methods may lead to confusion for students during the reading process. This means that as elementary Chinese language teachers, we must emphasize igniting students' enthusiasm for reading. With many students engaging in the process of reading learning, teachers have a responsibility to give special attention and importance to students' reading habits. Therefore, educators should focus on imparting efficient reading methods to students, enabling them to master various reading techniques through their expertise, thereby enhancing students' reading abilities. Teachers have a responsibility to assist students in establishing the correct reading philosophy and guiding them to master and apply scientific reading techniques. In addition, we should also emphasize cultivating students' good habits in reading and learning. We encourage students to summarize and refine their unique reading methods and techniques during their reading journey.