Reading Helps Children Face A Difficult Future

The following excerpts are from an Auckland University of Technology 22 Nov 2024 Press Release titled 'Reading Helps Children Face A Difficult Future', available here:

New research has found reading for pleasure with children when they are young can help them in difficult circumstances – and it’s never too late to make a difference.

The AUT-led study Relationships Between Reading For Pleasure And Children’s Wellbeing In Aotearoa New Zealand looked at the pandemic lockdown experience of 2421 children from the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) study who were 11 years old at the time.

Those who had positive attitudes towards reading, had more engagement with reading, and were reading earlier in life, reported better general health and wellbeing during lockdown. They also felt more supported and more connected with others in their bubble.

“When children were read with in their early years, they reported their wellbeing during lockdown was more positive – even when adjusted for household income and ethnicity,” says Associate Professor Ruth Boyask, lead researcher of the study and Director of AUT’s LitPlus research group.

“It may be that this is due to the relationship and bonding that happens when adults read with children, and it is also likely that the language element is important – supporting the development of cultural identity, critical thinking and understanding of their world.”

Associate Professor Ruth Boyask says the benefits of reading for pleasure are numerous and far-reaching.

International research shows that children who read for pleasure are more likely to have advanced vocabulary development, enhanced school performance and more developed brain function, she says.

They demonstrate more prosocial behaviour at school, fit in better through connecting with others, and make healthier choices around eating and smoking.

Dr Boyask says society also benefits as individuals who engage in literary reading are more than twice as likely to participate in volunteer or charity work, more likely to vote, as well as having a higher reading proficiency.

“It is clear that reading with other people, talking about reading and relating one’s own experience to what is being read, has great benefits for wellbeing.”