Books, once a central piece of a student’s academic success, now seem to be taking a backseat. With a wide range of genres, series, and novels, reading has become less of a priority for many students.
So, what has caused this shift away from books? Students and educators both offer their perspectives on the issue.
Student-athletes Brelon Williams and Mason Johnson point to similar distractions that keep students from reading. “Sports, social media, and video games are the reasons students don’t read books anymore. They just find other things more interesting,” Johnson says.
Williams agrees, adding, “I feel like students have better things to do than read nowadays. They have phones, video games, and other distractions that pull them away from reading.”
Clearly, technology plays a large role in this shift. But there is another factor to consider, the fact that students today are busier than ever. A study by the Association of California School Administrators found that nearly half of the students in their survey reported feeling “more stressed than in previous years.”
This stress is partly due to the increased demands placed on students, especially high school juniors and seniors. College applications, standardized tests, and extracurricular activities fill up much of their time, leaving little room for reading.
Another reason students may avoid reading is the feeling that they are being forced to do it. “I believe that students feel as if they are forced to read in English classes. This definitely pushes them further away from reading,” Williams says. Teenagers, who are often resistant to being told what to do, may see required reading as another obligation to avoid.
A study held by the Child Focus Organization further proves this claim (Why do teens rebel?), noting that students have a desire for independence and autonomy.
Urbana High School media specialist, Mrs. Jessica Kachur, also shares her views on the decline in reading. Like the students, she agrees that social media is a major distraction.
“Educators and librarians have been talking about the decline in reading among kids and teens for years,” she said. Continuing, “The reasons are often debated, but social media has definitely accelerated the trend.”
However, Kachur also points out that educators are trying to make reading more enjoyable.
By offering students the opportunity to select their own reading material, educators hope to make reading feel more like a choice and less like a requirement.
So, why is this decline in reading so harmful? Reading is a crucial part of the development for any child, implanting many new ideas, vocabulary and creativity in a child’s mind.
Without reading , there is a decline in cognitive development, knowledge and academic success in students. Books allow for information to be spread among students (struggling readers) . Without it, there may be a decline in the IQs of our youth.
While technology and busy schedules certainly contribute to the decline in reading, they most certainly shouldn’t be an excuse to not read. Books are crucial for our society, so there must be a push for an increase of reading for kids and adults alike .
While the rise of technology and the pressures of modern student life have made reading less of a priority, steps are being taken to make books more appealing again.
Offering students the chance to choose what they read may help foster a renewed interest in literature and show that reading can still be a valuable and enjoyable activity.
