Reading For Fun On the Decline

Academy girls often have very full schedules. Between school, sports, work, and other extracurriculars, girls have limited amount of free time.

Recent studies have shown that teenagers no longer read for fun in their free time. It is believed that this is a because teenagers and children now use social media and the internet are the cause of this decline. Children and teenagers have access to things they did not before and so they spend more time using electronics.

“Reading is unappealing to me because it is boring and slow. If I need something to do I would rather play volleyball or watch tv,” says Vanessa Davila (’18).

Hailey Rothman (’21) says, “When I read it makes me tired. I usually get a snack when I need to read for school to keep me busy as I read. I prefer to hang out with friends. I would maybe enjoy reading more if I was choosing it for school, but I still wouldn’t want to read for fun.”

https://twitter.com/wnadhy/status/925008630709075968

A study done by Common Sense Media states that as children get older, the tendency to read for fun seems to drop off. The study also states that 33% of  13-year-olds and 45% of 17-year-olds only read for fun once or twice a year. Keeping print books in the house readily available for children may be a good way to encourage reading for pleasure.

“I think some people do not find the content interesting, and some students didn’t read when they were younger so they never developed an appreciation for reading. I think we can get more students to like reading by giving them books they have a higher level of interest in,” says English teacher, Virginia Pendleton.

Madison Williams (’18) says, “I don’t necessarily have time for reading. In school they make us read certain books, and I feel like I would read if I had the freedom to choose what we read.”

Reading for pleasure has many benefits such as enhancing the reader’s memory and increasing the ability to empathize with others.

The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries. Descartes

— Philosophy Muse (@philosophy_muse) October 19, 2017

“I like reading because it is fun and takes you to a different world,” says Haley Palumbo (’18).