A recent Northwestern University study analyzed the media consumption of 8-18 year old children by race and age group.
I wasn’t surprised by the amount of media consumed by young people today. However, the amount of time spent reading books was alarming. Children between 8-18 read an average of 17-23 minutes each day.
Any teacher will tell you that literacy is the foremost academic need for all students. The ability to read, write, and comprehend, goes beyond books and language arts texts. It influences everything we do. Justified or not, individuals are often judged on their ability to articulately express themselves.
Do you have a favorite author? My favorites report being voracious readers. It’s no secret that reading influences the use of language in spoken and written form.
As a parent of two young ones, I know how demanding schedules can be. After a long day at work, it’s easy to turn on the television and use that to manage my children. I even justify it by thinking Little Einsteins (or a similar show) is fairly educational.
If your child is like mine, sitting down to read a book can be quite a chore. Yet the investment in that short amount of time pays dividends down the road. Need that quiet time to yourself after getting home from work? Have your child(ren) read a book. Want a great way to connect to your child? Read with them (or to them). Want to open their imagination and foster creativity? You get where I’m going…
Let’s partner together encourage reading.
