Children of this generation read ‘worryingly’ less

Eastern Mirror Desk

Dimapur, Mar. 1 (EMN): Technological advancement, availability of smartphones and gadgets at reasonable price, and internet boom seem to have changed the interest of children of this generation, as a vast percentage of young people said that they don’t enjoy reading anymore. A new research has revealed a worrying trend about children reading less than ever before.

According to a report by The Guardian, a study which will be published by the National Literacy Trust in the run-up to World Book Day on March 5, revealed that in 2019 just 26 per cent of children aged under 18 spent some time reading every day, which is the lowest ever recorded.

The study found out that very less children enjoy reading; with only 53 per cent saying that they enjoyed reading “very much” or “quite a lot”. It also showed that 47 per cent of boys were keen readers as against 60 per cent girls.

The National Literacy Trust had earlier found out in its research study involving 49,047 children and young people aged between eight and 18 that reading, writing and mental wellbeing were linked. ‘Children and young people who are engaged with literacy the most have better mental wellbeing than their peers who are the least engaged,’ said the analysis.

“Children who are the most engaged with literacy are three times more likely to have higher levels of mental wellbeing than children who are the least engaged (39.4% vs 11.8%). Conversely, children who are the least engaged with literacy are twice as likely to have low levels of mental wellbeing as their peers who are the most engaged (37.4% vs 15%),” read the study by the trust.

“Children with above expected reading skills are three times more likely to have high levels of mental wellbeing than their peers with below expected reading skills (40.3% vs 13.1%).

As children transition from primary to secondary school, their levels of literacy engagement and mental wellbeing both begin and continue to decline,” it added.