InTheNews.co.uk
Breaking News:
Your source for news

News Story

 07 September 2008 00:35 BST

English children 'reading less'

Wednesday, 28 Nov 2007 20:27
Reading needs to start at an early at home
Children in England are spending less time reading for pleasure and more time playing on computers, a major new report concluded today.

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (Pirls) said the number of ten-year-olds who had the least positive attitudes to reading and who seldom read stories or novels outside school increased significantly between 2001 and 2006 in England.

The country now has one of the highest rates worldwide of children who play computer games; 37 per cent of ten-year-olds play computer games for more than three hours a day.

As a result England has fallen from third place to 19th in Pirls' international assessment of reading literacy.

The Russian Federation, Hong Kong SAR and Singapore topped the assessment.

In response, children, schools and families secretary Ed Balls said there needs to be "a new national debate about the value of reading".

"This study shows that our highest achieving children are reading less, with children's busy days leaving less time for books at home," he added.

"As parents we have to get the balance right and as a society we have to send the right messages about the value of reading to our children."

Mr Balls announced £5 million for libraries to distribute free books to local nurseries.

"We need all our children to be reading because they love it - not because their parents or teachers force them to, or because politicians like me say it's important," the secretary said.

"There is a direct link between how much children enjoy reading and how well they can read, and these reports show that children's attitudes have changed since 2001. This is a problem that we all need to address."

Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said that a house without books is "a massive disadvantage for a child learning to read".

"Books should be at the centre of our culture yet an obsession with computer games is depriving many children from accessing the limitless opportunities created by reading," he added.

"Comprehension and understanding the written word should be at the heart of literacy. The literacy strategy has boosted the achievement of many of the lowest achieving children. Nevertheless the message must be that we must find a smarter way of combining the mechanics of reading with a love of literature."
End of story


More headline news... 

Also In The News 

© 2004- 2008 www.inthenews.co.uk. Advertise | Privacy | Terms of Use