Why Is Children’s Pleasure for Reading at an All-Time Low, and What Can We Do to Support Them?

The National Literacy Trust recently published the results of their annual literacy survey. This survey, which gathered responses from 114,970 children aged 5 to 18, explores the topic of reading for pleasure and daily reading habits, the results were concerning.

It was found, that only one in three (32.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 say they enjoy reading in their free time. Even more troubling, only one in five (18.7%) report reading something daily during their free time. This is a record low. So why does this matter? And how can we support our children in becoming lifelong readers?

In May 2012, the UK government published the results of a research study focusing on reading for pleasure. This study highlighted the importance of reading not only for academic success but also for emotional wellbeing. It reported that enjoyment of reading has a greater impact on a child’s success than their family’s socioeconomic status (OECD, 2002), and it also noted that regular reading of stories and novels is linked to higher scores in reading assessments (Twist et al., 2007).

With all this evidence pointing to the importance of reading for both academic and emotional development, why has so little changed in the 13 years since the report was published? In today’s ever-changing world and a culture immersed in technology, it is no surprise that text messages, magazines, websites, and emails are the most common reading choices for young people (Clark and Douglas, 2011). But should this be seen as a negative?

A report from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reported that young people who are engaged in online reading activities are generally found to be more proficient readers. As adults, what is our most common form of reading? Is it sitting down with a novel at the end of a long day? Or is it catching up with a friend through a WhatsApp message, or scrolling through Instagram to read what our loved ones (and maybe a celebrity or two) are up to? Rather than viewing these habits as negative or feeling guilty about them – and making our children feel the same – can we use these forms of reading as stepping stones in our efforts to reignite a love of reading?

As a primary school teacher, I often tell parents that reading is reading. Any form of reading is valuable. Does it matter if your child wants to read a magazine about Taylor Swift or a fact file about their favourite animal on a website? Why must we rank one type of reading above another? Why not celebrate their interests and take advantage of something that is now a permanent part of our lives?

I am not suggesting that phones and tablets should replace physical books. However, it is important for educators and parents to be realistic about the world our children are growing up in. If the idea of switching to reading on a device feels like one step too far but you would still like to introduce your child to technological themes, there are many fantastic books for you to explore on the Technology Books for Children’s website.

I say let us not fear the technology that surrounds us every day. Instead, let us embrace it and use it as a tool to inspire our children to enjoy reading once again.