Reading for pleasure has fallen in the United States, with the biggest decline among middle and high school students. The National Center for Education Statistics reported a sharp drop in daily reading among 13-year-olds between 2012 and 2023. Adults read less for fun too, according to a National Endowment for the Arts survey that compared recent years.
Mary Beth Calhoon, who runs a middle school reading program at the University of Miami, links the decline to social media, gaming and shorter attention spans. She also notes that some schools now give only excerpts, which reduces sustained reading time. Calhoon connects this change to lower scores on the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, a test that asks students to read and interpret texts for about 45 minutes.
Chakeia Andrews adds that early reading struggles and limited access to high-interest, culturally relevant books can lower motivation. Both experts recommend choice, multimedia supports and family reading to boost engagement.
Difficult words
- decline — a fall or reduction in number or quality
- sustained — continuous over a period of time
- excerpt — short parts taken from a longer textexcerpts
- attention span — how long someone keeps focus on one thingattention spans
- motivation — a reason that makes someone want to do something
- engagement — interest and attention while doing an activity
- interpret — to explain the meaning of something written
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have social media or gaming affected your reading habits? Give one or two examples.
- How could families encourage children to read more at home?
- Should schools give longer texts instead of only excerpts? Why or why not?
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