Lack of literature

Decline of children reading for fun

Sydney Weiss

More stories from Sydney Weiss

Sammi Miller, 12
February 26, 2019
Freshman+Ava+Vilardo+and+Sarah+Wertheim+are+reading+during+Ace+bell.++It+was+senior+night+for+water+polo%2C+so+Sarah+is+in+the+ensemble+the+seniors+chose+for+her-complete+with+a+Barbie+doll.++The+girls+read+everyday+in+Ace+bell.

Sydney Weiss

Freshman Ava Vilardo and Sarah Wertheim are reading during Ace bell. It was senior night for water polo, so Sarah is in the ensemble the seniors chose for her-complete with a Barbie doll. The girls read everyday in Ace bell.

According to TIME, 45% of 17-year-olds said they read by choice only once or twice a year. It seems that teens nowadays read much less than teens in the past.
One explanation for the lack of reading is that students are overloaded with homework.
When asked if she enjoys reading, Mrs. Tara Shoeny said, “Of course I like reading. I read all the time.”
The positive response to reading is typical of adults.
However, when freshman Shayna Kling was asked if she likes reading she said, “I like reading, but with homework I don’t have very much time to read for leisure.”
Teens do not seem to read nearly as much as adults.
Freshman Maddy Weiss also said, “Some days, reading does sound nice and I pick up a book. Other times I have hours of homework ahead of me and sitting to read just makes me stressed.”
The fact cannot be ignored that current students are reading much less than students in past generations did. The claim that reading is declining, or at least paper reading, can be backed up by the constant closing of bookstores.
TechnoBuffalo says “78% of U.S. teens have a phone.”
Another possible explanation for the decline of book worms may be because teens would rather spend the few free minutes they have tapping on their phones. As technology becomes bigger and better, social media trumps reading.
TechnoBuffalo also said, “ 93 percent of all U.S. teens have access to a computer in some form at home.”
Technology is closeby for most teens. It takes half as much effort as opening a book.
If teens only have a few minutes of free time each day, and some of that time is spent doing homework, do books stand a chance when technology is so easy to reach?