Report finds ‘shocking and dispiriting’ fall in children reading for pleasure
www.theguardian.com
National Literacy Trust finds only 35% of eight to 18-year-olds enjoy reading in their spare time, a sharp drop on last year to the lowest figure yet recorded

Summary

A National Literacy Trust (NLT) survey reveals that children’s enjoyment of reading is at its lowest in 19 years, with only 34.6% of eight- to 18-year-olds saying they enjoy reading in their free time.

This marks an 8.8 percentage point drop from last year, part of a declining trend since 2016.

Reading frequency has also hit a historic low, and a significant gender gap persists, with only 28.2% of boys versus 40.5% of girls enjoying reading.

The NLT calls for a government taskforce to address these declines, warning that “the futures of a generation are being put at risk.”

  • @[email protected]English
    18•7 hours ago

    Reading fiction is something I can only do when I’m calm, relaxed and have no worries. That is not a state I have experienced for like thirty years.

    Maybe if we raised children in a world that wasn’t a complete dumpster fire they would be able to read for hours at a time.

    • @[email protected]English
      4•4 hours ago

      I tried to read fiction. hell, I even tried to read fiction I read 20 years ago.

      I couldn’t do it because I couldn’t focus on the story.

      I read Isekai manga now, and I’m waiting for the sweet release of death to take me to another world where I don’t have to put up with this bullshit.

      I just want a nice quiet existence with one, maybe two, cat girls and go on fun adventures to hot springs with them. maybe farm a bit, build a small village.

      no phones, no computers, no bullshit fascist fuck heads trying to rule the world.

      • @[email protected]English
        1•3 hours ago

        I feel you. Wish I had some words of encouragement or something but the fact is, we live in clown world.