Slowing Down the Distracted Generation

III Slowing Down the Distracted Generation Tips and Tools to Get Children Refocused on the Written Word We live in a fast-paced and modern world. Children today are exposed to so many stimuli, and have so many ways to consume both entertainment and knowledge. In a world with so many distractions, how do we keep children focused on reading? READING IS IN DECLINE Across the board, Americans do not read as much, or as well, as they have in the past. NEWS 41% 48% 23% of American adults read literature for pleasure. For the young it is even lower, only 33% of college seniors read for pleasure. Over the past decade, the percentage of Americans who read the newspaper dropped from 41% to 23%. BASIC LEVEL SAT 43% 43% of American adults read at The number of high school seniors who read "proficiently" has been declining since 1992. SAT reading scores are currently the lowest in 4 decades. or below "Basic" level. Roughly 93 million people! Not only can this decline be stopped, it can be reversed. But it will require effort! CREATE A PASSION FOR THE WRITTEN WORD From an early age, show your children that reading is not a bore. It's fun! 26% 4th graders who reported having more than 25 books at home of children who were read to by family members 3-4 times in the past week could recognize the entire alphabet. 14% scored higher on reading tests than those that didn't. of children who were read to less frequently could not. READ WITH THEM A BOOK FILLED HOME As your kids grow, read Having books, magazines, and them stories on a regular basis. newspapers around the house Not only will this heighten their show your kids that these imagination, it will also show things are a part of everyday them that books can be fantastic life. portals to other worlds. GENDER HOMETOWN NAME BIRTHDATE THE POWER OF PERSONALIZATION READ ON YOUR OWN Help your kids feel connected to the If your children see you books they read. Personalizing books reading for pleasure, they engages children at a young age. too will find joy in the written Additionally, name repetition leads to word. recognition and an interest in reading. GIVE THEM TOOLS TO SUCCEED An environment that welcomes reading provides the foundation. Giving your children tools to build their love for reading is the next step. This is up from 4% in May of 2010! Give the Gift of Digital The newest generation has 24% 43% grown up in a digital world. of Americans 16 or older own an e-reader. Words may look more own either a tablet or e-reader. This is up from 6% in May of 2010! familiar to them on a screen rather than on paper. The numbers show this is more than a trend. An e-reader is more convenient to read on and carry around. Apps Make Reading Fun High School ABC ESchooy Pocket Booksy Shakespeare Toddlers Phonics abc Booksy Helping kids develop skills in letter sounds, writing, and first words, this app can help your child learn faster than they would in a classroom setting! Help your kid maximize reading skills through this app that builds comprehension and tracks reading capability through in-depth user statistics. For some high school students, making it through Shakespeare can be tough. This free and interactive app presents the Bard's plays and poems in an engaging manner! Children aren't less intelligent than they were in previous generations. In this day and age, they just have more options. In order to make kids love reading, it has to be exciting to compete for their attention. Sources: http://raisingbookworms.com/resources/reading-and-literacy-statistics/ http://www.pewresearch.org/daily-number/number-of-americans-who-read-print-newspapers-continues-decline/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/sat-reading-scores-hit-a-four-decade-low/2012/09/24/7ec9cb1e-0643-11e2-afff-d6c7f20a83bf_story.html http://www.rif.org/us/about/literacy-facts-and-stats.htm http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/10/18/tablet-and-e-reader-ownership-update/ http://www.teachthought.com/apps-2/20-ipad-apps-to-teach-elementary-reading/ my chronicle books PERSONALIZED GIFTS %24 +•: ••