Literacy
The Decline in Volitional (voluntary) Reading report, released last month from the National Institute of Education in Singapore, has been published in response to a global downward trend in young people’s engagement with reading.
The report states that “without adult reading role models in homes, schools and wider society, it is likely children will find it harder to develop the reading habit.” This correlates with recent Australian research which showed that those teenagers who read more frequently had a higher proportion of parents who were regular readers.
In order to reverse this trend, we need more adults visibly engaged with recreational reading and actively passing on this love to the next generation. This includes raising awareness with parents, caregivers and educators about the influence they have in shaping young people’s reading attitudes and behaviours.
Mr Roger Shipton - Literacy Coach