Young people don't read for pleasure anymore

[david51058]

Why don't a lot of young people (not all) especially teenagers read for pleasure anymore? A good book beats any TV progam or film. Is it because it involves using their imagination? They seem to think it's only something that 'old' people do and they think it amusing to even suggest it. They really are missing out.

[ChuckFickens]

Sqad...

Davids post at 11:03

"Does it depend on your background and where you come from perhaps? "

[B00]

ouchy Pix!

Maybe we did it back then as it was free entertainment, library i mean, we weren't rich! But im glad in a way as it really gve me a massive love of books (Now switched to Kindle, but its still reading- lol)

Mini Boo delights in reading, sometimes it's a bit of a chore come bedtime ,when im up there almost 2 hours reading a book with her, but i know it'll be worth it in the long run- I hope anyway :-)

[AB Editor]

David did Sqad:

//Does it depend on your background and where you come from perhaps?//

Spare

[milly143]

I didn't pick up a book that I didn't have to read (and even then I didn't read them) until I was about 25. The same can be said for all of my friends the same age.

[Sqad]

Ah! thanks Ed........absolutely correct.

[AB Editor]

It might also be worth saying that often reading won't be in the same format for yoofs. For example blogs & social media means there is a lot of reading which comes in snippets - while no replacement for a "real" book there is "reading" there. Even then though, they may not associate "reading" with blogs etc either.

Spare

[Sqad]

Chuck...seen your post too.....quite correct.

[bloomwood]

I work in the local library and there are a lot of youngsters that love to read,from the really young to the teens, some kids come in just to use the internet,but I would say an equal amount come in for books,not just for homework ,but for pleasure.

[AB Editor]

Also, links between reading to kids and a later love of books?

http://www.guardian.c...rents-reading-stories

[B00]

The reading books from school do my nut in to be honest.

She brings home the same book each day, they're changed weekly, regardless of whether they can read them well or not. I did go through a phase of telling her that I refused to read the same book 3 nights running, but the frosty note i got back from the teacher in the parents comment book scared me- so now I comply, like a good girl, lol.

[bookfan]

I work with 16-19 year old NEET's (not in employment, education or training) and have asked the same thing. I ran a focus group and gave out questionnaires to my young people and the results varied from 'found it boring' and 'no time' to ‘don’t see the point’.

I questioned further and found that many, who have been diagnosed with dyslexia, found it took them so long to read that they lost interest. Many were not read to as a child so never saw it as a pleasure, and only a couple of them were members of the local library.

None of them, when questioned, had had an opportunity to really 'browse' around a bookshop and had never experienced the process of choosing a book - i.e. look at the cover, read the blurb, feel it in your hands etc.

My young people need to be taught what to do to choose the right book for them based on their own capabilities, and need to be taught that reading is a valid past time and that you should make time for it. My lot just don’t (currently) see the relevance of being a good reader in their day-to-day life. I hope over time I will change their minds!

I know this is only a small group of young people and I'm not talking about ALL young people, but these are the reasons I've been given, so assume they may be the same reasons elsewhere.

My 5 and 8 year olds love books, as do I, but my husband (a successful man) has read about 5 books in his life! It goes to show that everyone is different.