Why should I Read?
The Statistics
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that skilled reading, writing and talking, is crucial for our students to succeed in school.” Alex Quigley
- Researchers found that the strongest factor affecting pupils’ science scores is reading comprehension (EEF, 2017)
- Reading improves teenagers’ vocabulary by 26% regardless of background (Centre for Longitudinal Studies, November 2017)
- At age 14, children who enjoy reading on average have a better reading age compared to children who don’t read of 3.3 years.
- Reading for pleasure has been revealed as the most important indicator of the future success of a child. Reading independently is a more important indicator of success than socio-economic/educational status of parents (OECD/PISA 2009)
- There is a significant correlation between student reading ability and performance at GCSE level. The table below outlines this (GL Assessment: Why Reading is Key to GCSE Success):
- 1 is considered perfect correlation between reading and exam success, with 0.7 being strong and 0.5 – 0.6 statistically significant.
Other factors
Not only does reading support students in the curriculum and help them make progress at school, reading allows us to:
- Unlock many opportunities, both as young people and adults.
- Experience new places
- Use our imagination.
- Travel, staying where we are!
- Gain knowledge about a subject of interest
- Have a statistically higher chance of pursuing your choice career
- Relax!
