"children who read for pleasure are better at english"

THE POLITICAL:

Back in 2012, the UK government looked at the research evidence on reading for pleasure:

Benefits of reading for pleasure: 

• There is a growing body of evidence which illustrates the importance of reading for pleasure for both educational purposes as well as personal development (cited in Clark and Rumbold, 2006). 

• Evidence suggests that there is a positive relationship between reading frequency, reading enjoyment and attainment (Clark 2011; Clark and Douglas 2011). 

• Reading enjoyment has been reported as more important for children’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic status (OECD, 2002). 

• There is a positive link between positive attitudes towards reading and scoring well on reading assessments (Twist et al, 2007). 

• Regularly reading stories or novels outside of school is associated with higher scores in reading assessments (PIRLS, 2006; PISA, 2009). 

• International evidence supports these findings; US research reports that independent reading is the best predictor of reading achievement (Anderson, Wilson and Fielding, 1988). 

• Evidence suggests that reading for pleasure is an activity that has emotional and social consequences (Clark and Rumbold, 2006). 

• Other benefits to reading for pleasure include: text comprehension and grammar, positive reading attitudes, pleasure in reading in later life, increased general knowledge (Clark and Rumbold, 2006).

reading_for_pleasure.pdf

But as author Charlies Connolley writing in the New European this month points out:

Almost 800 public libraries have shut their doors since the Conservatives came to power. That is 800 too many

The little local library that made me a borrower - The New European

THE PRACTICAL:

Going beyond the politics, the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education asks:

What if… we wanted all our children to read for pleasure? | Centre for Literacy in Primary Education

Teachers realise this - and have questions:

What would make children read for pleasure more frequently? - Merga - 2017 - English in Education - Wiley Online Library

Research suggests that reading for pleasure can boost comprehension, vocabulary and attainment, but what can teachers do to promote it?

Reading for pleasure: What does the research say? - Twinkl Digest Education

Here's a whole paper on the subject - for teachers of English as a second language:

Pleasure reading at home and its effects in the English classroom. How pleasure reading in English can improve children’s comprehension of and proficiency in English as a second language.

Pleasure reading for development of English as a second language

These pages have looked many a time at why reading for pleasure is a good thing:

Jay Doubleyou: how to get back to reading

Jay Doubleyou: reading really is the best way to improve (your own and a second) language

Jay Doubleyou: atelic activities

Jay Doubleyou: don't destroy a love of reading

Jay Doubleyou: extensive reading

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