Lanterna Rally

Author: Scholastic Inc

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 136

ISBN-13:

This report presents the 4th Edition of Scholastic's biannual study of children's and parents' attitudes and behaviors about reading. Much has changed since the first "Kids & Family Reading Report" was issued in 2006, but literacy remains the critical skill needed for school success. Today's children are growing up in a world full of digital information, which makes it even more important for them to know how to analyze, interpret and understand complex texts, to separate fact from opinion, and to develop a deep respect for logical thinking. This edition of the Kids & Family Reading Report takes a closer look at the ways in which the increasingly popular use of digital devices, both at home and in the classroom, impacts children's and parents' reading behaviors. It was found that the percent of children who have read an ebook has almost doubled since 2010 (25% vs. 46%). Yet it was also heard that parents are concerned that digital devices are distracting children from reading. Among parents of children in every age group, nearly half feel their children do not spend enough time reading books for fun--the kind of reading practice that is critical for children to build stamina, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. The challenge is to harness the power of technology and kids' interest in ebooks to build better readers, and clearly the opportunity is there. Of the children who have read an ebook, one in five says they are reading more books for fun--especially boys, who tend to be less frequent readers than girls. In addition, almost half of all children age 6 to 17 say they would read more books for fun if they had greater access to ebooks. Whether children read print books or ebooks, the more children read, the better readers they become, and the better readers they become, the more they enjoy reading. But reading practice cannot only occur in the classroom; children need access to books and time to read at home every day. This report found that having reading role-model parents or a large book collection at home has a greater impact on kids' reading frequency than does household income. Furthermore, every child should be able to choose and own the books they want to read, for that choice builds literacy confidence--the ability to read, write, and speak about what they know, how they feel, and who they are. The formula for every child to become a successful reader is simple: (1) have books available at home at all times and be a reading role model; (2) allow children to read the books they choose to read; and (3) set aside time--20 minutes or more each day--to read books for fun. With these practices, any child will not only become a fluent, skilled reader, but will also develop a love of books and reading that will last a lifetime. The following are appended: (1) Methodology; (2) Demographics of the Sample; (3) Subgroup Sample Sizes; and (4) Survey Results.