One in three secondary school teachers believe that boys view being asked to read as a “punishment”, a survey has found. Nearly three in four (71%) secondary school teachers say there has been an increase in “reluctant readers” in the past three years, according to a poll commissioned by GL Assessment.
The survey of 539 secondary school teachers, which was carried out by YouGov, found 88% believe social media distracts children from reading or getting into books, while 82% believe social media has had a negative effect on students’ willingness to read for pleasure.
“Reluctant readers” are defined as those who are capable of reading but who, for a variety of reasons, need to be cajoled into picking up a book. A third (33%) of secondary school teachers think male pupils consider being asked to read as a punishment, compared to just 15% who believe female pupils have the same negative reaction.
