There’s been a steady decline in Americans who read for pleasure over the past few decades, according to a recent study by researchers from the UK’s University College London and the University of Florida. There’s also considerable evidence to suggest that reading for pleasure is a key factor in the development of the complex reading comprehension skills that high school students need to succeed.
Researchers noted that reading for pleasure has been dropping since the 1940s but were surprised by the extent of the recent decline, especially since the study included all forms of reading—print, e-books, and audiobooks—unlike many previous studies.
The study found that 16% of people reported reading for pleasure on a given day in 2023 compared to 28% in 2004, but did not discover why Americans were reading less, although the authors suggested some possible explanations including increased use of social media and other technology and more time spent working.
This decline in reading could have implications for Americans’ learning and well-being, the researchers said. And it may help to explain why so many young readers are not becoming proficient by the time they leave school. According to the Nation’s Report Card, 31% (compared to 8% in 1984) of 13-year-olds reported in 2023 that they “never or hardly ever” read for fun.
It’s now been established that the Science of Reading is much more than phonics and phonemic awareness, and when its five core components (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) are each given priority at the right time and to the right students, literacy levels increase. By focusing on explicit and systematic teaching of these foundations, educators can enable all students to become adequate readers, but more is needed to make learners love reading and become regular readers.
Phonics is essential to helping kids learn to read, but overemphasis on decoding short, uninteresting texts may put children off reading. Chrystine Mitchell, PhD, director of early childhood education operations at ChildCare Education Institute, recently explained to the Huffington Post: “Students are becoming proficient decoders without developing the critical thinking and comprehension skills necessary for true literacy.”
Mitchell believes that for teachers, “the challenge lies in striking the right balance” between phonics and reading comprehension. “Systematic phonics instruction is essential, but it must be paired with opportunities for students to wrestle with ideas, encounter complex texts, and engage in discussions that spark critical thinking,” she advised.
we have to look at what interests young readers—song lyrics, spoken word, poetry, movie and play scripts, sports stories, and even comics
Teaching children to decode is the vital first stage of the reading process, but we need to incorporate interesting reading instruction through middle school and into high school if we are to encourage a new generation of readers.
Faced with competition from social media and the instant gratification of short videos, allocating hours to reading a good book is a difficult sell, so we have to look at what interests young readers—song lyrics, spoken word, poetry, movie and play scripts, sports stories, and even comics—so that they have the opportunity to expand their understanding of the world and people they are yet to meet through the joy of reading.
Daniel Ward, editor