In a bid to drive traffic to their website, it appears The Straits Times has taken to publishing click bait articles.

On Aug. 6, 2014, one of ST's rants targeting pram-using parents generated a lot of reactions to the extent the editor had to step in to claim that they are a "pro-family newspaper".

This time round they published a forum letter, "Teachers should read newspapers", on Aug. 11, 2014, featuring one ST reader's claim that teachers in Singapore are not informed because they don't read newspapers.

Perhaps this letter is the reason why teachers refuse to read ST to begin with.

Here is the article and readers’ reactions:

Teachers should read newspapers

PUBLISHED ON AUG 11, 2014 12:05 AM

WHEN I had lunch with two secondary school teachers one recent weekend, I was taken aback when both admitted that they do not read newspapers.

The Straits Times was not part of their daily reading content, and they were ignorant of the Forum pages.

I had expected these teachers of English and Literature to take a keener interest in what was happening around them through the medium of newsprint, so that they could disseminate more informed knowledge and wisdom to their students.

I explained to them that newspapers carry models of clear and concise writing that can stand alone as teaching tools - or supplement other instructional materials, such as the Internet.

Newspapers contain many different types of writing models - narrative, persuasive, expository - and are written for various reading levels that would help students.

Newspapers help teachers bridge the gap between the classroom and the "real world" by extending the boundaries of knowledge, and help teachers and students feel like a part of the world.

In this way, educators' interest in new teaching techniques is heightened while their intellectual skills and critical and independent thinking are sharpened for the benefit of their students, who are being nurtured for active citizenship.

Newspapers also air the grievances of the public and help shape public opinion, and keep the public and the Government in close contact.

The newspaper helps teachers gain knowledge, wisdom and power that they can inculcate in their students.

It is imperative that the Ministry of Education strives to ensure that teachers read beyond their teaching materials and syllabus.

The reading habit has gradually waned with the advent of new technological devices and gadgets. It needs to be reawakened in our society so that we can keep up with the rest of the world.

V. Subramaniam (Dr)

Reactions elicited:

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Straits Times’ pram-hating article receives epic public backlash, editor steps in, insists they are ‘pro-family newspaper’

Top photo via Ministry of Education

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