Deep Reading is a Lost Skill–How Can Parents Help?
When was the last time your child picked up a book and read without interruption?
Reading research shows that students are reading less than they used to. Even when assigned reading material in school, students rarely have to sit and read the entire book. Many alternative resources are available at the click of a button to help students process reading material quickly and easily. Whether audiobooks, YouTube videos, TikTok, or ChatGPT, students engage less and less with offline reading.
Read more: Why Technology Doesn’t Mean Better Learning
Explanations as to why students are reading less are varied. Experts point to shorter attention spans, a lack of proper reading instruction, the pandemic, and extracurricular activities competing for students’ attention (source). However, the decline in reading is mostly linked to the increase in accessible technology in the form of smartphones.
Simply put, books compete with screens for attention, both in the classroom and at home.
Even seasoned novel readers report finding it challenging to shut out distractions and sustain focus on a book. The reason has to do with how our brains process reading.
Reading is Hard
According to Maryann Wolf, director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice, we are not born with intrinsic brain wiring for reading the way we are with vision or scent. We all build reading skills in our brains step by step. Like any skill, building strong offline reading skills takes both effort and practice.
Basically, reading is hard and slow, and your phone has programmed your brain to want quick and easy.
Wolf says that the ability to deep read—read intentionally and for a long period of time—reflects the brain’s ability to go beyond its natural state. She also says that the more we read online, the more our neural pathways develop screen reading as a preference. So it’s no wonder that students find offline reading more challenging that it used to be.
Online Reading and Your Brain
When we read online, our natural inclination is to skim; our eyes jump around the page, searching for what we are looking for. We search, we browse. We rarely read line by line, taking in the words. The more we read online, the more skimming becomes the natural way to read.
Our brains become wired to prefer skimming. Unfortunately, skimming is a less deep process, leading to less retention and recall. Skimming is a natural part of the digital world we live in. Book reading is the opposite of the world we live in. It is slow, deliberate, and time-consuming.
Students might think they have poor reading skills because they find deep reading challenging. They likely avoid it for this same reason. The reality is that even highly skilled readers can struggle with this process. Just because students find reading for a long period challenging does not mean they are not good at it. (source)
Even in a digital world, reading deeply is a very valuable skill.
Deep Reading
Deep reading is a thoughtful and deliberate process that can deepen comprehension. It’s a slow process. that involves many complex cognitive skills that work together to build understanding, including deductive reasoning, analysis, reflection, and insight.
Reading deeply is a process of expanding your mind—quite literally. The more students practise this skill, the more neural connections they build to make this process easier.
Tips to Help Students Build Stronger Reading Skills for Deep Reading
Putting away the phone and being intentional about building reading takes commitment and discipline, but it is possible. Here are six ways to rebuild deep reading skills:
- Be uncomfortable. Understand that being deliberate about avoiding technology to focus on reading might feel uncomfortable. The brain has been trained by smartphones and other influences to want immediacy. You are fighting against a built-up habit.
- Reduce Distractions. Notice when thoughts drift. When you find your mind has wandered, take note and redirect back to the page.
- Make notes as you read. Writing while reading engages more areas of the brain and makes reading active, which boosts comprehension.
- Go at your own pace. There is no rush to read quickly.
- Set a timer. Read for 20 undistracted minutes and increase time incrementally.
- Practice often. Read slowly and deliberately.
Help your student build stronger reading skills with help from Oxford Learning. Contact a location near you to learn more.
Related Reading Resources
