Girls consistently outperform boys on reading tests – and have done so for several decades around the world. Lack of motivation, a weak vocabulary, poor reading engagement and lack of role models have all been considered possible reasons for this disparity. But results from recent global student assessments, known as PISA, suggests the global reading gap is closing. […] … learn more→

Public anxiety about the capacity of digital-age children and young adults to read anything longer than a screen grab has come to feel like moral panic. But there is plenty of evidence to suggest we must take such unease seriously. In 2016, the US National Endowment for the Arts reported the proportion of American adults who read […] … learn more→

From the choice of books in original formats to the sharing of stories or playful workshops around writing, parents and educators compete to help the young generations to forge strong links with books. Promoting reading as a pleasure is the leitmotif that drives libraries, book fairs and Ministry of Culture campaigns . How does the school support this relationship to the […] … learn more→

Christmas is just around the corner. If you’re wondering what to get your child, your friends’ children, your nieces, nephews or basically any very young person in your life –  I highly recommend picture books. Many people can remember a favourite book when they were a kid. Some of my favourites were the Berenstain Bears […] … learn more→

When I was younger I decided to learn Greek. I learnt the letter-sound correspondences and could say the words – the sounds, that is. But although I could and still can decode these words, I can’t actually read Greek because I don’t know what the words mean. Being able to make the connection between the […] … learn more→

Because I conduct research about reading, parents often ask me the same question: “What can I do to help my child become a better reader?” I always give them the same advice: “Read with your children. Enjoy books together, and whatever you do, don’t worry about teaching them to read. Leave the teaching to the teachers.” […] … learn more→

Brain scans have revealed that reading aloud to young children on a regular basis contributes greatly to growth in the areas of the brain that provide mental pictures and reading comprehension. Although they cannot yet read, children under the age of five are building important skills they will need for their whole lives, and hearing […] … learn more→

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things about reading journal articles. One of the most important things that I’ve discovered is that spending time thinking about how and why I read, and practicing ways to become a better reader, is time well spent. After all, the ability to critically read journal articles—and lots of […] … learn more→

At the time of the Paris Book Fair flourish speeches on reading. And in this moment of introspection of our society on its relation to reading , the world of education finds itself particularly involved. But the question of reading is not clear. What are we talking about when we talk about reading at school? In reality, it covers different definitions that are not always […] … learn more→

The love of reading is one of the greatest gifts an adult can give to a child. Pragmatically, reading proficiently helps with school work. But it also widens children’s horizons. It can help readers to understand their own world better, and to explore other worlds. Parents often see reading as “school business” – something that […] … learn more→