‘Keep an Eye on Your Son! He Is Reading Too Much These Days’: Understanding the Reading Attitudes in English of Rural and Urban Sindhi Students

Research in second language reading has demonstrated that positive reading attitudes are very crucial in motivating a reader to engage in meaningful reading practices. The exploration of such findings is very limited in the context of Sindh, Pakistan. Learners in Sindh, Pakistan’s rural and urban areas experience life quality generally and reading resources and motivation very differently. This study explored a very basic question of the differences between the reading attitudes of learners from both areas. The findings suggest wide differences between the reading attitudes of rural and urban learners. An understanding of their reading attitudes leads one to devise ways for inculcating or reinforcing positive reading attitudes in further studies.

The Dragon in the School’s Backyard

The introduction of technology into classrooms during the 1980s was heralded by many as the dawn of a new era in American education. Proponents argued that technology had the potential to fundamentally transform the nature of teaching and learning. However, over time, this dream became a nightmarish reality. Likewise, educators concerned about the chronic underachievement of urban learners often fell prey to the allure of technology as a tool for reversing the historical influences of poverty, discrimination, inequity, chronic underachievement, and lack of opportunity. However, twenty-five years after the introduction of the computer into the classroom, many of the expectations associated with technology in education remain unrealized. This chapter hopes to discuss some of the issues and trends associated with technology adoption and usage at urban schools.

The Use of Technology in Urban Populations

The introduction of microcomputers into classrooms during the 1980s was heralded by many as the dawn of a new era in American education. Proponents argued that technology had the potential to fundamentally transform the nature of teaching and learning (Papert, 1980; U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, 1988). However, over time, it has become apparent that it is far easier to acquire hardware, software, and Internet access (Becker, 1991; Dividing lines, 2001) than it is to capture the potential of technology in significantly meaningful outcomes (Cuban, 2001). Likewise, educators concerned about the chronic underachievement of urban learners often fall prey to the allure of technology as a tool for reversing the historical influences of poverty, discrimination, inequity, chronic underachievement, and lack of opportunity. However, 25 years after the introduction of the computer into the classroom, many of the expectations associated with technology in education remain unrealized. In this article, we discuss new technological horizons for urban learners, and highlight issues relating to the socioeconomic trends of technology in schools. In addition, we provide specific examples of technology interventions that can be implemented to engage urban students in meaningful learning activities.