Worst case scenario: the power goes out. You can’t use any electronics; do you dare pick up the book on your nightstand?
For some, reading is a go-to, not a last resort.
“I often try to read in my own time, typically, when I have little homework, I will try to read a book a day,” senior Eloise Lowther said.
According to the National Literary Trust, just one in three children and young people aged eight to 18 said that they enjoyed reading in their free time in 2024, whereas two in three enjoyed reading as of 2016.
In a digitally driven society, reading is falling to the back-burner.
“It’s social media again. It’s consumer culture. It’s instant gratification. Reading takes time and I think technology has interrupted people’s willingness to take the time and space that reading requires,” English Department Chair Victoria Dryden said.
While books were once the most important method of communicating news and stories, social media, podcasts, and videos now provide a much quicker and accessible supply of news.
This doesn’t mean that physical pieces of writing are obsolete, right? We’d hope not, especially for The Fourth Estate’s sake…
Still, there is nothing quite like curling up with a good old-fashioned book.
“I think that you can really dive into someone’s experience through literature. There are a lot of books out there that share different experiences in terms of culture, and you’re able to immerse yourself in those and see from their perspective. I know that movies and other sources can expose you to that, but I think reading in a way is more powerful,” senior Sofia Ramirez said.
Practicing reading throughout a child’s education is crucial for developing lifelong abilities, comprehensions, and creative mindsets.
“I feel that reading is the ultimate form of enrichment and self-enlightenment; there is nothing, no other long or short form entertainment, that can replace what reading does for one’s brain. I notice reading brings my mood up, and makes me happier and more motivated. Reading has also greatly expanded my vocabulary,” Eloise said.
California students from third grade to eight grade saw a decline in meeting learning standards for reading in 2023, with 46.7% meeting standards, almost a 1% decrease from 2022.
“If a student is assigned too much reading, it becomes a burden. If students only read books they don’t like or don’t enjoy or can’t connect with, the joy of reading is compromised. When reading becomes a burden, the joy evaporates. Online learning isolated students. Honestly, it’s hard to teach without connection,” Dryden said.
The decline in reading ability is highly attributed to the crucial in-person school lost during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Today, reading for fun is less common not only for children, but also for adults. Only 43% of American adults read at least one work of literature each year, according to Kumon.
According to The Guardian, children who read in their free time at least once a month said that it helps them to relax (56.6%), learn new things (50.9%), understand the views of others (32.8%) and learn about other cultures (32.4%).
“Reading on my own time is an absolute favorite pastime of mine. It is my entertainment and my teacher,” Eloise said.
Intrinsic motivation is crucial to develop during childhood to establish a life-long love of reading.
“I think that it’s a lot harder for me to read books assigned at school compared to books I choose to read on my own,” Sofia said.
Whether inside the classroom or outside, reading should be encouraged now more than ever before, and the teaching of strong literary skills should be a priority.
“AI cannot teach someone how to hope or to dream or to deal with sorrow or to be compassionate or forgiving or self-reflective,” Dryden said.
“It cannot help us to connect with each other and live ethical lives. It cannot teach us to understand on a deeper level. Books provoke thought,” Dryden said.
