# data[].attributes.headline
“I have not given, received, or used any unauthorized assistance. This work is mine.”

# data[].attributes.subject
“I have not given, received, or used any unauthorized assistance. This work is mine.”

# data[].attributes.headline
Data Explanation, 2024, "The Nations Report Card", "Explore Results for the 2024 NAEP Reading Assessment at Grade 12"

# data[].attributes.subject
Data Explanation, 2024, "The Nations Report Card", "Explore Results for the 2024 NAEP Reading Assessment at Grade 12"

# data[].attributes.body
"Compared to the first reading assessment in 1992, the average score was 10 points lower in 2024."

I'm using this quote because it serves as evidence of a statistical decline in reading literacy.

"The NAEP reading assessment measures students’ reading comprehension of literary and informational texts. Students read grade-appropriate texts and answer questions about them that require both literal and interpretive understanding as well as critical thinking skills. The NAEP reading framework guides the content and development of the reading assessment at grades 4, 8, and 12. "

I think this information is important because it explain the parameters of this institutions investigation.

"Average reading scores in 2024 were lower for twelfth-graders in the following student groups compared to 2019:

White students;

female students;

students who were not identified as economically disadvantaged;

students whose parents had some education after high school and students whose parents graduated from college;

students attending public schools;

students attending public, noncharter schools;

students attending schools in suburban locations;

students attending schools in the Midwest and South regions;

students who were not identified as students with disabilities; and

students who were not identified as English learners."

This information is important because it reveals the demographic of Americans who are being most (reportedly) impacted by the increase in illiteracy.

"Compared to the last grade 12 assessment in 2019, there have been changes in the percentages of twelfth-grade students for a few student groups. For example, in 2024, the percentage of White students decreased, and the percentage of Hispanic students increased. The percentage of students who were identified as English learners was higher in 2024 compared to 2019 as was the percentage of twelfth-graders who were identified as economically disadvantaged."

This information is also important to the study because it shows how the demographics of evaluated student's has evolved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Results from the 2024 NAEP reading assessment at grade 12

# data[].attributes.headline
Article, 2022, "World Literacy Foundation", "Why Girls, Why Literacy, Why Now?"

# data[].attributes.subject
Article, 2022, "World Literacy Foundation", "Why Girls, Why Literacy, Why Now?"

# data[].attributes.body
"Globally, girls face a greater risk of illiteracy than their male peers. Approximately 496 million adult women worldwide cannot read and write (Readingpartners.org) – this is 2/3 of the illiterate population around the world."

This number is staggering and should be looked at.

"The advent of COVID has severely impacted girls’ literacy development and has amplified the challenge they already faced."

Touches on the impact of the global pandemic (important factor to observe in any discussion of modern education).

"The threat of gender-based violence, child marriage and early pregnancy increases significantly during a crisis."

The dangers of illiteracy.

"Without reading and writing skills, women can be limited to occupations focused on childcare and housework, which are often unpaid or underpaid."

Brief mention of wealth disparity as a result of improper education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Girls, Why Literacy, Why Now? - World Literacy Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Why Girls? As we start another year with uncertainty around schools, we have already been privy to the colossal effect the pandemic has had on education and the way children learn. Goals

# data[].attributes.headline
Blog, 2025, Adolescent, "College Student Literacy is Down, but My Determination is Up"

# data[].attributes.subject
Blog, 2025, Adolescent, "College Student Literacy is Down, but My Determination is Up"

# data[].attributes.body
"Why, then, do the books always wind up creaseless and dusty, their purpose reduced to keeping a literature student company while she watches Netflix instead? Where has that childhood hunger for reading gone? Why don’t I finish assigned books for class anymore?"

Shows that the author has experience with this burnout and is equipped to discuss it.

"Students in 2021 read, on average, 6 fewer books per year than they did in 2002."

Good representation of student engagement with full novels vs short stories or academic papers.

"The ability to read lengthy texts for extended periods of time is sometimes referred to as “reading stamina.”"

We used to do this in my elementary school. I forgot about it until just now. 15 minutes of reading every day to build reading stamina.

"The goal of this experiment is not to make me a speed reader, but rather to reestablish good habits, to show myself that I can still get a hefty chunk of reading done in a short amount of time, and to discover which methods work best for me."

I think this is a good engagement tactic, rather than focusing on speed she is focusing on repetition and consistency to allow for more desire to read.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
College Student Literacy is Down, but My Determination is Up

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In theory, I love to read. I’m a literature major. I keep a novel in my bag, on the table, at my bedside. One of my favorite annual traditions is a book swap with my friends, my favorite store is Barnes & Noble, my favorite place to study is the campus library. I adore creative writing and my college classes push me to develop this skill—what better fuel for good writing than avid reading? I haul a shelf’s worth of books (both recreational and academic) back to my dorm each semester with the noble intention of eating through a healthy portion of the stack like the bookworm I’m supposed to be.

# data[].attributes.headline
Article, 2023, NEA Today, "The Joy of Reading Isn't Dead, Yet"

# data[].attributes.subject
Article, 2023, NEA Today, "The Joy of Reading Isn't Dead, Yet"

# data[].attributes.body
"In 1984, 35 percent of 13-year-olds said they read daily for fun. In 2020, just 17 percent said the same."

Statistical representation of pleasure reading differences over the last 40 years.

"Reading is too wrapped up in standardized testing. When you’re forced to read for high-stakes tests and constantly graded—and punished—for how well you comprehend impassive reading passages, it’s not too fun."

I agree, I think this is why student's detest pleasureful reading now. It it far too associated with academic performance. There is no joy in it anymore.

"“We have great books dealing with heavy problems, but 80 percent of the kids just want something fun!”"

I agree, I think there is too much pressure on authors to be socially conscious and make political commentary. What happened to writing a dumb story about why Timmy hates the color orange? (this is not a real reference)

"Reading also can—and should—be a community activity. Indeed, one of the motivations to read that Guthie identified among students in 1995 was “social aspects,” or the process of sharing books or ideas about books with friends and family. No students are too old for read-alouds! And many will enjoy talking together, with their educator, about the book that they just heard."

Yes, reading is a source of connection! We need to bring back the community aspect of adolescent reading.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Feature Article

While the number of students who say they read for fun is at an all-time low, NEA members are turning the tide by providing access, choice, and maybe a dog in the library.

1. Reading has become too wrapped up in high-stakes testing. And the stuff that's fun for kids to read has been discounted by too many adults.

2. Students need access to the books they want to read-and the freedom to make their own choices. Creating opportunities for students to read and talk about books also helps.

3. NEA members are doing this and more-and they're seeing their school library circulation numbers skyrocket.

Matilda Wormwood's heart would break.

The famous, fictional bookworm-star of the eponymous children's book by Roald Dahl-taught herself to read to escape her ghastly parents. She loves books. Can't keep her nose out of them.

The joy of books has been killed. Suppressed, tested, and killed. I hate when students are called 'struggling readers.' We need to see them as students who need a revival! I want a revival!

Is this another thing that social media has killed? Maybe. But NEA members point to other factors. Reading is too wrapped up in standardized testing. When you're forced to read for high-stakes tests and constantly graded-and punished-for how well you comprehend impassive reading passages, it's not too fun. Making matters worse, many kids have been told the books they like to read aren't the "right books" to read.

"The joy of books has been killed. Suppressed, tested, and killed," says R. Joseph Rodriguez, a high school English and language arts teacher in Austin, Texas, who recently was named a teaching fellow by the National Book Foundation. "I hate when students are called 'struggling readers.' We need to see them as students who need a revival! I want a revival!"

For Rodriguez, the key is providing students with access to good books-and the freedom to pick for themselves.

Indeed, it's not a secret what motivates kids to read.

"It's access, choice-and talking about books," says Marcia Kochel, librarian at Atlanta's Druid Hills Middle School and a former winner of the "I Love My Librarian Award" from the American Library Association.

Give Them the Books They Want to Read

We have great books dealing with heavy problems, but 80 percent of the kids just want something fun!

"You have to buy the books they want," Kochel says.

When Kochel first came to Druid Hills in 2016, her library didn't have any graphic novels. No manga. She applied for grants, got all the money she could from her PTA, and even held a fundraising concert with the Grammy Award-winning Indigo Girls. (Singers Amy Ray and Emily Saliers attended Druid Hills when it was a high school and Saliers' mother was a public librarian.) "We buy and buy and buy what the kids want us to buy," says Kochel.

For Kochel, that means scary, spooky stuff, true crime, adventure, romance, and more. For Tamara Cox, a South Carolina high school librarian, it's "mysteries, mysteries, and mysteries," she says. "Any time I see a new mystery book, it's pretty much an automatic order for me," she says.

"Kids get told all the time that what they like to read isn't really reading," says Kochel. "They will never hear that here."

Thanks to conscientious publishers and authors, children and young adults have better access to books that explore and represent themes like homelessness, community violence, and so on. These books are vital for helping students understand and process the world around them, Kochel says. But publishers also need to publish books that simply make kids laugh, she says.

"We have great books dealing with heavy problems, but 80 percent of the kids just want something fun!"

Diverse Books Matter

In Rodriguez' Texas classroom, the majority of students are Latino. He also has Black, Asian American, and White students.

His students notice racial representation. One recently told him that the blockbuster 90s TV show "Friends" had white-washed New York City with its all-White cast. "Why is this funny? This show is mean," he told Rodriguez.

Students should enjoy the freedom to read, says Rodriguez, who has hundreds of diverse titles in his classroom library and has written about his efforts to provide students with a choice of books. Today, it's a challenge for educators like him to provide students with books that celebrate and represent their diversity, as book bans reach a historic level.

The most frequently banned books include characters of color or LGBTQ+ people. And yet, these are books that kids are asking for, notes Kochel. "These last couple of years, kids have been coming to me and saying, 'What do you have with LGBTQ+ themes?'" she says. "Ten years ago, they might have been embarrassed. Today, they're excited about these books and affirmed that we have them!"

Publishers have gotten the message, says Kochel. "We're seeing a nice uptick on representation," she says. Say you're a Black kid who loves fantasy books. These days, you can find a time traveler who looks like you-and that's fun.

Make Time for Reading

It has been more than 40 years since Ramona Quimby's third-grade teacher told her class that they would sit quietly at their desks, every day after lunch, and read books of their own choosing. "Drop Everything and Read," or D.E.A.R., is what author Beverly Cleary named the practice in "Ramona Quimby, Age 8."

At Kochel's school, D.E.A.R. means "Dragons Excited About Reading," a reference to the school's fiery mascot. "Our teachers are purposeful about making sure there's time to read in the school day," she says. Multiple times a day, eighth-grade classes start with 10 minutes of silent, at-your-desk reading- "and it's a book of their choice," she points out.

"We say that reading is the greatest skill that students can acquire in school, but if we're not giving them time to do that during school...do we really think that?" asks Kochel.

At Rodriguez' school, he and his department colleagues dedicate 20 to 30 minutes of every 90-minute block to what they call "structured, independent reading." Structured because the time is faithfully set aside, he says. Independent because the material is their choice. It's critical that students choose their own books, he says. And it's fine with Rodriguez if it's an audiobook, comic book, or whatever, on whatever grade level they choose.

Reading also can-and should-be a community activity. Indeed, one of the motivations to read that Guthie identified among students in 1995 was "social aspects," or the process of sharing books or ideas about books with friends and family. No students are too old for read-alouds! And many will enjoy talking together, with their educator, about the book that they just heard.

Librarians: "Genrefy" Your Shelves

Kids who love to read also love to wander the stacks, browsing for a title that catches their eye or a familiar author's name. But for many, it can be overwhelming, notes Cox, who is National Board certified. "It's like dumping a person who hates to exercise in a gym-and telling them to work out," says Cox. "They don't even know where to start!"

Horror books go here. Manga over there. Each genre has its own place.

Once [students] find the books they like, they realize that it's not that they hate reading, it's that they only like adventure books or they only like books about space or science fiction. They know their shelf-and it eliminates that fear of wandering the library.

The process of re-organizing thousands of books can be daunting for school librarians, but the library isn't for librarians, Cox points out. "One of my first jobs was in a grocery store. I still know the code for peaches!" she says. "But the people who shopped there didn't need to know [the code]. They needed a label: "Here's the peaches!"

"Are you doing things because it's easier for the librarian or easier for the kids?" asks Cox. "For me, it's about helping kids find the books they like." After genrefying, Cox's circulation numbers tripled.

As an additional bonus, genrefying also helps librarians see the gaps in their collections, Cox notes. "One thing I noticed right away-teenage girls love romance, but I only had 20 romance books! It's easier to identify weak areas and see what we need to add."

Make it Fun! NEA members, especially librarians, also are doing a million things to make reading more fun. A few of those ideas are:

Rewards: Kochel bought water-bottle stickers this year, but most of her reading contests don't elicit material rewards. She might do a bingo card-with different genres or various titles within one genre-and maybe the winners get to spend an hour in school's MakerSpace doing Legos or crafts. Last winter, she did a "winter reading challenge." For the kids who completed the challenge, she created an escape room in the library.

Therapy dogs: "I'll try anything!" says Cox. And one of the most popular things that she's tried in recent years are visits to the library by therapy dogs, whom the kids read to. "Our kids love it! I get these giant football players coming in and they're like, 'ohhh, look at that baby dog!"

Book clubs: Kochel runs about a dozen book clubs in Druid Hills, based on genre and grade. "Kids just flock to them," she says. Most meet during lunch, once a month. But she also has an after-school club for the most dedicated readers and, towards the end of the school year, those kids enjoy an overnight "lock in" in the library, where they stay up all night, reading and talking about books. [NEA's Read Across America can help with your book club! Check out our resources on Book Club Basics.]

Author visits and guest readers: Often author visits can be arranged in collaboration with local bookstores, but they don't have to be in-person! Virtual visits are fun, too. Reading can be a social activity. Many educators bring in guest readers-parents, grandparents, big siblings, or members of the community.

Mary Ellen Flannery

Senior Writer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Joy of Reading Isn't Dead, Yet | NEA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While the number of students who say they read for fun is at an all-time low, NEA members are turning the tide by providing access, choice, and maybe a dog in the library.

# data[].attributes.headline
Article, 2021, PEW Research Center, "Among many U.S. children, reading for fun has become less common, federal data shows"

# data[].attributes.subject
Article, 2021, PEW Research Center, "Among many U.S. children, reading for fun has become less common, federal data shows"

# data[].attributes.body
"Among 9-year-old students, around four-in-ten (42%) said in 2020 that they read for fun almost every day, down from 53% in both 2012 and 1984."

Over half of surveyed 9-year-olds have lost a desire to read for fun. That is a DRASTIC change that needs to be addressed.

"About three-in-ten students in this age group (29%) said they never or hardly ever read for fun, up 21 percentage points from the 8% who said the same in 1984."

3-in-10 means about 6-in-20 kids do not read outside of school. That is close to half of the average middle school classroom.

"Nearly half of female 9-year-old students (46%) said they read for fun almost every day, compared with 38% of male students of the same age. And two-in-ten 13-year-old female students reported reading for fun almost every day, while 14% of their male counterparts said they did so."

Girls engage with pleasure reading much more often than boys, we should encourage female literacy.

"Students who performed better on the reading section of standardized tests in 2020 reported reading for fun more frequently."

Reading for fun is an EDUCATIONAL TOOL!!! Allowing students the space to read what they want rather than what teacher think they should be actually improves their literacy, according to this study.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
(We Are via Getty Images)

The shares of American 9- and 13-year-olds who say they read for fun on an almost daily basis have dropped from nearly a decade ago and are at the lowest levels since at least the mid-1980s, according to a survey conducted in late 2019 and early 2020 by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Among both age groups, the percentages who said in the 2019-20 school year that they "read for fun on [their] own time almost every day" were at their lowest points since the question was first asked in 1984, according to the survey, which was fielded among U.S. public and private school students before the COVID-19 outbreak. It is unclear whether the pandemic may have changed these patterns.

Among 9-year-old students, around four-in-ten (42%) said in 2020 that they read for fun almost every day, down from 53% in both 2012 and 1984.

The share of 9-year-olds who said they never or hardly ever read for fun on their own time was at its highest point since the question was first fielded: 16% said this in 2020, compared with 11% in 2012 and 9% in 1984.

In 2020, a quarter of 9-year-olds said they read for fun once or twice a week, 9% said they do this once or twice a month, and 8% said they do this a few times a year.

Among 13-year-olds surveyed in the 2019-20 school year, 17% said they read for fun almost every day, a smaller percentage than the 27% who said this in 2012 and roughly half the share (35%) who said this in 1984. About three-in-ten students in this age group (29%) said they never or hardly ever read for fun, up 21 percentage points from the 8% who said the same in 1984.

Around a quarter of 13-year-olds (23%) said in the most recent survey they read for fun once or twice a week, while fewer than two-in-ten said they read for fun either once or twice a month or a few times a year (16% and 15%, respectively).

The NAEP's questionnaire has historically asked 17-year-old students how often they read for fun, but that portion of the 2020 survey - scheduled to begin last March - was canceled when many schools moved instruction online at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. When the question was last asked in 2012, just 19% of 17-year-olds said they read for fun almost every day. Around a quarter (27%) said they never or hardly ever read for fun.

In the 2020 survey of younger children, female students were more likely than male students to say they read for fun. Nearly half of female 9-year-old students (46%) said they read for fun almost every day, compared with 38% of male students of the same age. And two-in-ten 13-year-old female students reported reading for fun almost every day, while 14% of their male counterparts said they did so.

The share of both male and female students who say they read for fun almost daily has declined across both age groups since 1984. There was a 21-point decrease among 13-year-old girls and a 12-point drop among 9-year-old girls. There were 11- and 16-point decreases for 9- and 13-year-old boys, respectively.

When it comes to race and ethnicity, 9-year-old students who are Asian American, White or Hispanic were more likely to say they read for fun almost every day than were their Black peers in 2020. Around four-in-ten or more Asian (50%), White (44%) and Hispanic (41%) students said this, compared with 35% of Black students. Among 13-year-olds, 28% of Asian students said they read for fun almost every day, along with two-in-ten White students who said they do this almost every day. These shares are larger than the shares of Black (15%) and Hispanic (10%) students who said the same.

Students who performed better on the reading section of standardized tests in 2020 reported reading for fun more frequently. For example, half of 9-year-old students who scored at or above the 75th percentile on the 2020 reading component of the NAEP reported reading for fun on their own time almost every day, compared with 39% of 9-year-old students who scored below the 25th percentile.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Among many U.S. children, reading for fun has become less common, federal data shows

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The shares of American 9- and 13-year-olds who say they read for fun on an almost daily basis have dropped from nearly a decade ago.

# data[].attributes.headline
Article, 2023, Edutopia, "Explaining the Symbiotic Relationship Between Reading and Writing"

# data[].attributes.subject
Article, 2023, Edutopia, "Explaining the Symbiotic Relationship Between Reading and Writing"

# data[].attributes.body
"For elementary school teachers, the saying is, students learn to read and then read to learn."

Ability to read non-academically helps students develop their skills at using reading as a tool to further their education.

"When a student is writing to read, they are using writing as a tool to truly understand the reading. Writing to read is driven by the text the student is studying."

I think this approach is counter productive. Rather than allowing students to read at their leisure they are being told to read in a specific way and that they have to weed out XYZ factors in their reading. This inhibits their ability to actually immerse themself in the reading.

"When a student is reading to write, they are using reading as a tool to improve their writing. Reading to write occurs when students first learn how to imitate their favorite authors, historians, scientists, or researchers."

Reading makes better writers! This is a helpful skill in state wide testing.

"Reading feeds writing. When writing dries up or stalls, the best way to revitalize it is to feed your brain with more reading."

Students submit lack-luster essays because they have no source of inspiration and the American school system has sucked out all of the fun of reading by establishing it as an academic necessity that can only be accessed through an analytical lens.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Students who understand how reading relates to writing and vice versa can develop into better writers.

For elementary school teachers, the saying is, students learn to read and then read to learn. At the middle and high school levels, teachers may experience the relationship of first writing to read, and then reading to write. Although this expression is not so common, there are resources that point to such a relationship, including " Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading" or books such as The Write to Read.

While the relationship of "writing to read" and "reading to write" represents a symbiotic one, there is a distinct difference that may help us better understand what we are teaching students.

Writing to Read
Examples of writing to read

Write a high-level summary to remember and consolidate the content of the reading.

Write a claim about the reading, and use three pieces of evidence to support it.

Respond to open-ended questions about the reading as a way to connect to or analyze the text.

Write an essay on a book to illuminate a particular theme or provide evidence to trace tonal shifts in the piece.

Write about the content of a particular text or texts to understand, analyze, or evaluate the text(s) at a deeper level.

Annotate during reading to capture important terms, ideas, or content.

Fill in graphic organizers or take notes to track the reading.

Write in response to a prompt.

Write an essay about a particular literary device or critical feature of the text(s).

When a student is writing to read, they are using writing as a tool to truly understand the reading. Writing to read is driven by the text the student is studying.

Reading to Write
Examples of reading to write

Read memoirs or personal essays to prepare to write a college essay.

Read several articles from a particular journal or newspaper to increase knowledge of stylistic expectations in preparation to write a piece for publication.

To help relieve writer's block, use reading to think about different ways to write.

Read widely on a topic to consider one's own writing approach and background knowledge.

Review multiple texts to write for a particular purpose or on a specific topic.

Read a lot to write more by picking out the ideas that spark thinking.

Maintain an annotated bibliography of mentor texts that serve as a writing coach.

When a student is reading to write, they are using reading as a tool to improve their writing. Reading to write occurs when students first learn how to imitate their favorite authors, historians, scientists, or researchers. This is the deliberate use of mentor texts to mold a student's writing ability.

Moving Toward Reading to Write

The developmental progression from reader to writer is specific to each student's experience; however, we do know that in order to strengthen their ability to write, students must continue to read more.

Reading feeds writing. When writing dries up or stalls, the best way to revitalize it is to feed your brain with more reading. Reading may be compared to eating the nutrients we need for the energy to write. Reading feeds the writer with ideas for structure, rich language, literary moves, and compelling ways to illuminate a writer's purpose.

After filling our brain with reading, turning back to writing typically gives one the energy needed to continue. This is one reason why writing to read is so important early on, then gradually becomes just as important as reading to write. As students develop confidence and competence as readers as the content and vocabulary become much more sophisticated, they build capacity to see the text as both a reader and a writer.

There are potential benefits of looking at the writing-to-read and reading-to-write relationship as teachers continue to challenge themselves with the best way to teach students how to write. Many times at the middle and high school levels, experience with writing to read is the dominant one. If this is the case, it might be a good time to rethink instructional goals and associated assessments.

Here are some practical suggestions for how to weave the two more seamlessly so that students grow into stronger writers.

Assignments that Weave in Reading to Write

Write a high-level summary of the text, then pick sentences from the text that use punctuation or sentence structure in a way that is powerful.

Write a claim along with supporting evidence, then look at the text to pick out the best use of transitions.

Annotate a book to trace character development, then pull out parts of the book that were written with vivid, descriptive language.

Write an essay on the theme of a book, then write a reflection on the author's craft.

Write a response to reading to analyze the author's line of reasoning, then break down the formal structure of the argument.

After students complete a writing-to-read activity, have them complete a second activity that asks them to use the same text as a reading-to-write activity. (Models and research on how to use mentor texts can be found in books by Allison Marchetti and Rebekah O'Dell.) The second activity may be practice captured in the writer's notebook for the student to use as a resource to support their writing throughout the year. Some examples of such activities may include the following:

After high school, students contribute even more to society, so they need to know how to cogently express their thinking to others. Empowering students as writers requires practice, and it's important that students understand how writing to read and reading to write serve them in markedly different ways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Explaining the Symbiotic Relationship Between Reading and Writing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The symbiotic relationship between reading and writing must be understood by students in order for them to become better writers.