Do today's teens read less or more?

[andrea w]

I've been wondering about this for a while, and decided to seek out an opinion other than my own. Many surveys seem to say that teens are now spending less time reading for pleasure than in previous decades. But at the same time, there are certain books (particularly series such as Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hunger Games, etc.) that seem to be increasing the popularity of reading among teens. Do you think teenagers nowadays are less or more interested in reading compared to years ago?

[kg211970]

I think in this era of t.v. iPhone, games, texting, movies, ect.... the younger generation are too distracted with other stuff then reading,

[DATo]

This is a very interesting question and one which I have coincidentally devoted a lot of thought to.

It is interesting to consider that prior to 1900 one of the most important diversions for young people was reading. There were no radios, TVs, movies or other forms of "personal escape diversion". It is also interesting to consider that the only way ANYONE, young or old, could hear music would be to attend a concert in the park or a recital. This is why you often see in movies of this period a member of the family entertaining dinner guests by singing or playing a musical instrument ... there was no other access to music. Thus story books and even poetry, which we largely dismiss these days, was an integral and important part of a young person's life.

When parlor radios became a part of the family furniture in the early part of the 20th century it was common to find the entire family around the radio in the evenings to listen to what today we would associate with audio books. There were audio presentations of dramas, comedy and music which were a new source of entertaining escape. Shortly after came movie theaters and then, after WWII, TVs became the dominant medium of entertainment and news broadcast. We have only to look about us at all the electronic devices from stereos, to DVDs, to computers which have come on the scene since then to see why fewer young people NEED to find entertainment and escape in books. So I think it is obvious that today's youth reads far less than they did 100 years ago and progressively less with the advent of each new technological invention which offers novel (no pun intended) distraction.

[sunflower100]

I think the teens nowadays reading from their kindle.. digital life era!

[Fran]

This is a very interesting question and one which I have coincidentally devoted a lot of thought to.

It is interesting to consider that prior to 1900 one of the most important diversions for young people was reading. There were no radios, TVs, movies or other forms of "personal escape diversion". It is also interesting to consider that the only way ANYONE, young or old, could hear music would be to attend a concert in the park or a recital. This is why you often see in movies of this period a member of the family entertaining dinner guests by singing or playing a musical instrument ... there was no other access to music. Thus story books and even poetry, which we largely dismiss these days, was an integral and important part of a young person's life.

When parlor radios became a part of the family furniture in the early part of the 20th century it was common to find the entire family around the radio in the evenings to listen to what today we would associate with audio books. There were audio presentations of dramas, comedy and music which were a new source of entertaining escape. Shortly after came movie theaters and then, after WWII, TVs became the dominant medium of entertainment and news broadcast. We have only to look about us at all the electronic devices from stereos, to DVDs, to computers which have come on the scene since then to see why fewer young people NEED to find entertainment and escape in books. So I think it is obvious that today's youth reads far less than they did 100 years ago and progressively less with the advent of each new technological invention which offers novel (no pun intended) distraction.

And yet small kids still look for a bedtime story ... no change there

[RuqeeD]

From what I gather by my teen sister and her friends, they are more interested in watching the movies based on certain books rather than reading the books. It's always what's easiest for them really. They find it easier and (for them) more entertaining to watch the movies. But at the moment at her school they are holding a sponsored read which I think is fantastic to encourage children and teens to read. Right now my sister is only doing it because of her competitive side since she wants to raise more money than her friends but I'm hoping she'll get into the habit and actually find she enjoys it. I told her I'd sponsor her quite a lot for every page of a book she reads, so she's getting into it with gusto.....maybe its a little bribery but I can live with that

[Laura_Timmins]

Hmm this is a hard one...I'm 16 and read a lot! But most of my friends have not read more than 10 books in their whole life, but books such as Harry Potter and CHERUB have done well, and I think they do enjoy reading when they do.

[Lon Dee]

Generally speaking, I think most teens read less than in "the old days". But I think there is still a lot of reading going on. Author Obert Skye was giving a small presentation at my son's elementary school yesterday in conjunction with National Reading Week. My wife and I stopped by to watch, and the kids were extremely excited to meet him in person. Many of the kids brought bags full of his books for him to autograph. When my junior high aged daughter heard about this, she got very jealous and asked some amusing questions, "What did he look like?" "What does he sound like?".

So, yes, I think there is still plenty of reading going on.

[Bighuey]

I agree with Dato, I think things change with new technologies and kids do the latest thing that comes along.

[andrea w]

If anybody is especially interested in this topic, the National Endowment for the Arts released a report a few years ago that found that adults, particularly young adults, in the US are now reading more. (I'm not allowed to post a link or URL because I'm a new member, but the report is called "Reading on the Rise" and can easily be found through Google.)

[DATo]

And yet small kids still look for a bedtime story ... no change there :wink:

Very true Fran, but it is helpful to remember that the bedtime story ritual was originally introduced to the child by the parent; in many cases the child does not read along but simply listens (no work involved); and a bedtime story postpones the inevitable "Time to go to sleep." tyrannical, and wholly unreasonable parental diktat. But I do see the bedtime story as a great motivational catalyst for reading that may well foster in the child a love of reading which will last the remainder of the child's life.

[RuqeeD]

And yet small kids still look for a bedtime story ... no change there

Very true Fran, but it is helpful to remember that the bedtime story ritual was originally introduced to the child by the parent; in many cases the child does not read along but simply listens (no work involved); and a bedtime story postpones the inevitable "Time to go to sleep." tyrannical, and wholly unreasonable parental diktat. But I do see the bedtime story as a great motivational catalyst for reading that may well foster in the child a love of reading which will last the remainder of the child's life.

Of course I can't say for everyone but my aunt always makes her children read to her at bedtime from their books rather than reading to them which instils a greater love of reading I think anyway and also forms a habit for the child. And ok I've used the word 'makes' which implies force/demands whatever which isn't really the case here (if it were, it's probably reinforcing the whole 'parental diktat' you mentioned - which in the long term isn't really beneficial). But for her and her children it works well, they've actually got to the point where they are eager for that portion of bedtime.

[DATo]

Of course I can't say for everyone but my aunt always makes her children read to her at bedtime from their books rather than reading to them which instils a greater love of reading I think anyway and also forms a habit for the child. And ok I've used the word 'makes' which implies force/demands whatever which isn't really the case here (if it were, it's probably reinforcing the whole 'parental diktat' you mentioned - which in the long term isn't really beneficial). But for her and her children it works well, they've actually got to the point where they are eager for that portion of bedtime. :D

Your aunt sounds like an amazingly insightful woman. Conditioning a child to actually want something that they might otherwise avoid requires true talent. I think the psychology at work here lies in the fact that the children feel they are empowered rather than being controlled. Kids have a hard way to go in life. Adults are constantly telling them what to do. In this instance they are given the authority to reverse the traditional role of storyteller. I think this instills a sense of responsibility to "get it right". Now if we could just bottle this ingredient into the oceans of soft drinks teens are drinking we'd really have something. *LOL*

[Fran]

My bit of pseudo psychology says that in reading to a child you establishing a connection in the child's mind between reading & the one thing a child craves ... the exclusive attention of the parent or carer. If a parent or carer reads regularly to a child they are, for life, establishing in the child's mind an unconscious connection between reading and that time when they were most happy, safe & contented. I think that those of us, lucky enough to have been read to as children, for the rest of our lives picking up a book & reading takes us back unconsciously to that time when we had the exclusive attention of a parent & we can easily recall that feeling of security,safety, warmth & love we felt as a child lying in bed & being read to. It's a kind of mental security blanket we take with us all through life, if we're lucky.

I could be completely wrong of course!

[Gannon]

My bit of pseudo psychology says that in reading to a child you establishing a connection in the child's mind between reading & the one thing a child craves ... the exclusive attention of the parent or carer. If a parent or carer reads regularly to a child they are, for life, establishing in the child's mind an unconscious connection between reading and that time when they were most happy, safe & contented. I think that those of us, lucky enough to have been read to as children, for the rest of our lives picking up a book & reading takes us back unconsciously to that time when we had the exclusive attention of a parent & we can easily recall that feeling of security,safety, warmth & love we felt as a child lying in bed & being read to. It's a kind of mental security blanket we take with us all through life, if we're lucky.

I could be completely wrong of course!

Wow Fran, deep, very very deep. Sounds entirely plausible to me.