“Teens have a mild suspicion that books are like broccoli, good for them, but not something they want to have anything to do with.”

Children of all ages have surprisingly high regard for people who read. They associate them with adjectives such as ‘intelligent’, ‘successful’, and ‘happy’. And furthermore, they link ‘high frequency reading’ with success in later life. However, there is hard evidence of a dramatic decline in children’s enjoyment of reading from around the age of nine.

Drawing from recent reports on children and reading, Nick explores some of the key questions that underlie teenage readings habits – namely: what motivates teenagers to read, their influences in choosing books or other reading material, how often and exactly what they actually ‘read for fun’.
In addition, he will look at the common reasons teenagers cite for their declining interest in reading. Finally, he will make some creative and practical suggestions for teachers who want to support and nurture teenagers’ interest in reading – both in and out of the classroom.