Fewer people say they read for pleasure. The drop is strongest among middle and high school children, and adults read less too. Experts report this trend and offer ideas to help.
They say social media and gaming push short, quick text and that attention spans are shorter. Schools sometimes give only excerpts of novels or plays. To increase interest, teachers and parents can let children choose books, use movies or videos with difficult texts, and make family reading time and library visits a habit.
Difficult words
- expert — A person with special knowledge or skillExperts
- pleasure — A feeling of enjoyment and satisfaction
- trend — A general change or direction over time
- excerpt — A short part taken from a longer textexcerpts
- attention span — How long someone can focus on somethingattention spans
- habit — Something you do regularly without thinking
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you read for pleasure? Why or why not?
- Does your family have regular reading time or library visits?
- What would help children in your school read more?
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