Whatever Happened to Reading? Here’s the story...

by Evelyn Baek

As a self-proclaimed bookworm in elementary school, I’m a bit ashamed to admit that for the past few years, the time I’ve spent reading every day has dropped drastically. While my elementary school self could have torn through a book every night, my much more developed high school brain struggles to pick up a book that’s only been gathering dust and more unread books on top of it. And this doesn’t seem to be an uncommon experience either...

Are Teens Reading Less?

Using data from about 50,000 eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders annually from 1976 to 2016, psychologists from the American Psychological Association have discovered that the decline in reading among this age group has been steep, especially with the prominence of digital media. The ongoing study, Monitoring the Future, has found that while in the early 1990s, about a third of tenth graders read a newspaper almost every day, the number dropped to two percent in 2016. Moreover, research from the National Literacy Trust has not only shown that in 2019, only 26% of people surveyed who were under 18 read every day, but also that teens are enjoying reading less, as only 53% said they liked it “very much” or “quite a lot.”

Why Might Teens Be Reading Less?

The aforementioned study Monitoring the Future seems to attribute the decline in reading among teenagers to the increase in screen time and use of digital media. As reading time and enjoyment has declined, time spent on phones and screens has only gone up, with twelfth graders reporting that they spend six hours per day texting, on the Internet, and on social media, while tenth and eighth graders reported five and four hours respectively. With the rise of technology and the near-endless amount of information and entertainment you can find on the Internet, it seems obvious that reading – especially print media – has been replaced with online videos, forum posts, and social media posts, which can arguably provide just as much knowledge as books.

A study from the Pew Research Center actually found that young people typically read more books than older people; however, the majority of these books were for school. Pleasure reading has fallen drastically, and forum posts and social media captions are now consumed more than long-form reading media such as news articles and books. This lack of practice in focusing and building one’s attention span could result in more difficulty comprehending and digesting longer works of literature that could be encountered later in life, including college reading and critical documents. Furthermore, replacing longform works of writing with more artificial digital media could result in missing out on other important benefits of reading. High school students often claim that being forced to read certain books for class or school killed their previous love of reading. Whether they don’t enjoy the books assigned in school because the material is incomprehensible or whether they just don’t connect to these books, it seems as though people commonly stop reading due to school.

Benefits of Reading Reading has obvious benefits that explain the importance of English and literature classes, such as increased abilities to critically analyze works of writing – a skill necessary for future success in college and the workplace. Even reading books assigned for school can introduce students to new genres they may never have picked up or teach students time management through finishing material on time. However, reading for pleasure outside of school can bring even more benefits.

The Social Inequalities in Cognitive Scores at Age 16: the role of reading research from the University of London’s Institute of Education (IOE) found that children from ages 10-16 who read for pleasure make more progress in spelling, vocabulary, and math than those who read less. In fact, study author Dr. Alice Sullivan discovered that, “The combined effect on children’s progress of reading books often, going to the library regularly and reading newspapers at 16 was four times greater than the advantage children gained from having a parent with a degree.” Moreover, reading has benefits beyond just the classroom, especially if the book is something you choose of your own volition. Not only have researchers found that reading fiction especially showed higher scores on empathy tasks and increased correlation of social support, but reading can also introduce a new community of other readers to bond over these stories, explaining the widespread popularity of book clubs. Reading also engages people with their imagination as the mere act of reading forces the reader to visualize the world and characters in their mind. A 2014 study by Carnegie Mellon University found that reading a chapter of Harry Potter used the same brain regions as seeing someone move in real life. Finally, research supports that reading can be a significant stress reliever with a study from Mindlab International at the University of Sussex, which found “reading to be 300% better at reducing stress than going for a walk and 700% more effective than playing video games.”

A Resurgence of Reading

While it may seem like the blame is on digital screens and social media, the Internet and social media have sparked a sudden reinterest in reading. Social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have turned reading into somewhat of a trend with certain books becoming viral over the Internet, and their covers becoming new staples of the reading community and inspiring new readers to flock to these platforms’ content and posts. The popularity of books online has spread into bookstores as well, as you can easily find a #BookTok table filled with trending books at many Barnes and Noble locations. Even book sales have gone up due to online popularity, with young adult fiction sales rising by 30.7% and adult fiction increasing by 25.5%. In fact, four out of five YA bestsellers have had the chance to become viral on the book community of TikTok. Although social media has been correlated with a decrease of reading among teenagers, perhaps it can also introduce more adolescents to reading.

How to Pick Up Reading Again

Find recommendations online - Whatever your niche is, a community of readers who share your interests can always be found online. Between online articles, forum posts, and social media posts, the recommendations for books are endless, and it is near impossible not to find someone who shares the same reading tastes as you.

Or from your librarian – The librarians at the local libraries and inside our very own school would be more than happy to try to personally recommend a book you may like, whether you’d like to stick to your favorite genres or explore a new territory. You can even ask your very own teachers!

Start with graphic novels or shorter books – Heavy, long books can be intimidating to pick up, so graphic novels, short stories, and short books can be more approachable. Comics and graphic novels add visuals to their stories and are usually easier and quicker to read through, and shorter books can deliver a great story in just a few hours of reading.

Audiobooks – One of the hardest habits when reading long-form works is keeping your attention on the page, but audiobooks can help you focus on what you’re both hearing and seeing at the same time. They can also be more convenient for those with busy schedules as you can still listen to the work while on your daily commute or doing chores.

Don’t feel forced to read books that you don’t enjoy – Of course, you have to read that book assigned for school, but trying to finish a book you may not enjoy in your free time can diminish your love of reading quickly. Read the books you like, despite what reviewers or critics may say.

Stay positive – Stepping back into reading can be daunting with the sheer number of books that exist, and it can be easy to feel dejected when you have trouble finishing a book. But even so, finding a book you like and being sucked into its world or prose can be more than worth it in the end. Have fun with the books you read and let yourself be immersed in them.

Source: www.pbs.org

Looking Out for Yourself: How to Have a Productive Summer

by Patrick Kelly

As the school year comes to a close, everyone cannot wait for a well-deserved break. Just because we all want to relax this summer, though, does not mean we should waste our summer away doing nothing. While,yes, summer is about having fun, we can still find ways to be productive. Here are some top ways to have a productive summer.

First, it’s always a good idea to prioritize yourself. A healthy lifestyle can help you in endless ways, and you will thank yourself for employing healthy habits not only in a week or two, but also when you are all grown up. You’ll feel more energized, and eating healthier, for instance, is proven to boost your mood. Some great examples of ways to improve your physical health are…

1) Getting a gym membership

2) Eating healthier

3) Going for daily walks

4) Finding an outdoor hobby (playing sports, gardening, etc.) Another way to have a productive summer is getting a job. While it may seem daunting at first, finding a job as a teenager is not as hard as it seems. There are plenty of local businesses that are looking for teenagers to work, whether they are local camps, restaurants, or stores. While you’re working, you’ll naturally become a more responsible, organized, and more mature version of yourself. Even if you’re not working with friends, you will have a great time. It is easy to make friends with coworkers – I, for instance, have found friends at my job, and I never would have expected my work to affect me as much as it has.

The final way to have a productive summer is to make your resume as appealing as possible. As high school students, college is always in the back of our minds; thus, it’s always best to start as soon as possible. Ways to do this include volunteering in your community, taking an online college course, or attending leadership camps. One leadership camp that many junior boys and girls are attending is called “Boys State” or “Girls State.” Both offer a handson, realistic experience in civic responsibility for rising seniors.

My final piece of advice is to try something differ- ent because it’s summer! We have the time to do so, so spend your time wisely, get out of your comfort zone, and have fun!