"For a report focused largely on reading enjoyment, much of this is not an enjoyable read," a report from the UK's National Literacy Trust states. The report found that the proportion of children 8 to 18 years old who enjoy reading in their spare time has fallen to the lowest level since the survey of children about their reading habits began in 2005, the Guardian reports. The survey found that just 34.6% of children read for pleasure, down from almost two-thirds in 2016 and down 8.8% from the previous year.
Reading frequency also fell sharply, the survey of more than 75,000 children found. Some 20.5% of children said they read daily, down from 28% last year. "The declining levels of reading enjoyment and reading frequency are, frankly, shocking and dispiriting," the report states. Another dispiriting find: One in 12 children said they didn't have a single book of their own at home. In households classed as disadvantaged, it was one in eight. The report found a wide gender gap, with 40.5 of girls reading in their free time, compared to just 28.2% of boys.
"With children and young people's enjoyment of reading at an all-time low, and high numbers leaving primary and secondary school without the reading skills they need to thrive, the futures of a generation are being put at risk," said Jonathan Douglas, the literacy trust's chief executive. In a blog post, the group said its dedication to giving children "more opportunities to discover the joy and purpose of reading in ways that matter to them" will be "unrelenting." The group said it plans to boost efforts to assist parents and teachers, expand its "Literary Champion" volunteer program, and push to ensure that every elementary school in the UK has a dedicated library space by 2028. (More reading stories.)
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