17th September 2012 9:00
By Blue Tutors
The National Literacy Trust has published figures that suggest that only three in ten children read for fun, a figure down from four in ten in 2005. The survey, based on more than 21,000 students, suggests that many children have stopped reading for fun as their time has been taken up by other activities such as computer games, television, and after school activities. More than a fifth of children never read in their own time.
Researchers revealed a clear link between reading outside of school and high achievement in school, commenting that even reading magazines and comic books in their own time would help children develop their reading skills. The survey found that the most reading children did outside of school of text messages, with 54% of children responding that they would rather watch TV than read magazines.
The National Literacy Trust labelled this a worrying trend in children’s literacy, are urged the government to take measures to ensure that children were encouraged to read outside of school. They highlighted in particular the need for children to be given time devoted to reading.