There is a general decline in reading among teenagers and adults. Most alarming, both reading ability and the habit of regular reading have greatly declined among college graduates. These negative trends have more than literary importance. As this report makes clear, the declines have demonstrable social, economic, cultural, and civic implications.

The most obvious culprit behind the decline in literature reading is the modern entertainment that seems to captivate most Americans: film, television, Internet, video games and so on.

The love of reading starts young, and it starts at home.

Children develop literacy skills and an awareness of language long before they are able to read. Since language development is fundamental to all areas of learning, skills developed early in life can help set the stage for later school success. By reading aloud to their young children, parents help them acquire the skills they will need to be ready for school. Shared parent-child book reading during children’s preschool years leads to higher reading achievement in elementary school, as well as greater enthusiasm for reading and learning. Young children who are regularly read to have a larger vocabulary, higher levels of phonological, letter name, and sound awareness, and better success at decoding words.

Today’s children will experience negative academic, personal and social outcomes year over year because of poor reading skills. Children who can’t read proficiently by the 4th grade are up to 15 times more likely to drop-out of school.

The correlation between reading for pleasure and the outcome:

  • Positive mental imagery (imagination)
  • Emotional competency
  • Empathy and understanding
  • More knowledge – including about health and personal development
  • More engagement in meaningful activity, which plays a part in filling the gaps left by loneliness and isolation

Advanced readers accrue personal, professional, and social advantages, while deficient readers run higher risks of failure. Yet there is a steady decline in the amount of time spent reading by teens, college students, and adults.

Regular reading not only boosts the likelihood of an individual’s academic and economic success. Reading literature awakens a person’s social and civic sense. Reading correlates with almost every measurement of positive personal and social behavior.

Unleash the novel inside you

with compelling characters,

intricate worlds,

and fine-tuned prose.

“Linda has published twenty books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish. She has mentored many authors and edited their work.” 

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