The National Endowment for the Arts recently published the results of a literacy study, To Read or Not to Read. The study gathered and analyzed “statistics from more than 40 studies on the reading habits and skills of children, teenagers, and adults. The compendium reveals recent declines in voluntary reading and test scores . . .”
Some key findings:
- Teens and young adults read less often and for shorter amounts of time compared with other age groups and with Americans of previous years.
- Reading scores continue to worsen, especially among teenagers and young males. By contrast, the average reading score of 9-year-olds has improved.
- Advanced readers accrue personal, professional, and social advantages. Deficient readers run higher risks of failure in all three areas.
To review the summary and full report, click here. What are your thoughts on the findings of this study?
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