Children shun books in favour of social networks

A study by the literacy trust has revealed that children have more exposure to mobile phones and computers, than more traditional reading material such as novels.

Researchers found that occasions of frequent reading declined with age, leading some teenagers to shun books altogether. The findings of the National Literacy Trust will come as no surprise to some. Britain has also dropped from seventeenth place to the twenty-fifth in an international league table of reading standards.

In Britain, one out of every six adults struggles to reach the literacy levels expected of an eleven year old; and with thirteen percent of children failing to read a single book in the last month (according to the Literacy Trust), it can be assumed that these children may go on to grow into the illiterate adults of the future.

The literacy trust study indicated that technology based materials are the dominant reading choice for children. Text messages were highlighted as the most popular reading material for children of all ages.