The importance of reading

Anne here, pondering the importance of reading for pleasure. Of course most readers of this blog are no strangers to that — we all know the joys of plunging into different worlds, other times, and 'meeting' other folk, courtesy of a good book. But not everybody understands this.

I've taught adults how to read all my adult life, and my most successful and enjoyable class was one we simply called "Book Group." Everyone was welcome, whether they could read or not, and all we did was read books aloud and talk about them. It was standing room only. The participants ranged in age from 16 to 80, young ratbags and tearaways, highly respectable adults, elderly people from all kinds of backgrounds. But they all shared what was a new love to them all —the love of stories.

That class ended when the funding was cancelled. Reading for pleasure was deemed "not important" by the powers that be. That was a long time ago, but two articles I came across recently have challenged that view: reading for pleasure is indeed very important.

The first article reported that teenagers who read for pleasure were more likely to be successful in later life.The second was an article that described how criminal offenders were being sentenced to read and discuss books — and that the process was transforming lives.

Teenagers who read for pleasure

A study by Oxford University in the UK  concluded that teenagers who read for pleasure are more likely to go on to have successful careers. Girls who read for pleasure at age 16 had a 39% probability of reaching a managerial position at 33, as opposed to 25% for those who did not read for pleasure. For boys who read regularly, the figure went up from 48 per cent to 58 per cent.(You can read the whole article here)

No other leisure activities  — sport, socialising,hobbies, watching movies, going to concerts, playing computer games or even activities like cooking or sewing were found to have any significant affect on future careers. It also increased the chanced of children attending university. Oxford sociologist Mark Taylor, who conducted the study, speculated that reading might be a factor because it sharpens the mind, or because it made employers feel comfortable employing someone who seemed well educated. The other possibility is that people who were destined for better careers would read more anyway.

It doesn't surprise me. I think it's about imagination as well. I think people who read for pleasure have good imaginations, and this is a quality that makes them able to work more effectively with other people. Someone with a good imagination can put themselves in other people's shoes, can approach a problem from different angles, can see new possibilities.

Whatever the reason, it's good news for teenage bookworms. And their parents.

Criminal offenders sentenced to read books

The second article about the importance of reading comes from a very different social perspective — and it's about reading as an instrument of reform. According to the article I read, it's spreading across the US.

In this program, called Changing Lives Through Literature (CLTL) "repeat offenders of serious crimes such as armed robbery, assault or drug dealing are made to attend a reading group."

To most of us on this blog (readers or writers) being sentenced to read books sounds like bliss. Not so for many of these offenders for whom reading has been an ordeal, a challenge and a foreign experience. Many have never read a book.

 But this reading program is changing lives.

 The program began in Massachusetts in 1991 and started when Robert Waxler, a professor of English at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth convinced a judge he knew to take eight criminals who repeatedly came before him and place them on a reading programme that Waxler had devised instead of sending them to prison.

A follow-up study found that only 19% had reoffended compared with 42% in a control group. And those from the programme who did reoffend committed less serious crimes. The program now runs in eight states including Texas, Arizona and New York. (More on the CLTL program here)  

The groups are run on a single sex basis and books are chosen which are likely to raise issues that members of the group might identify with. Offenders explore issues and reactions of the characters and compare them with their lives and experiences. Reading matter ranges from classical texts by Plato and Socrates to philosophical works like John Stuart Mill's 'On Liberty', modern classics  such  as Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Bell Jar and many others. 

It's a brave and brilliant move, I think, to sentence offenders to read and discuss books instead of sending them to jail. Controversial, too, I imagine, but the studies are positive.

So, what do you think? What personal qualities do you think reading has enhanced in you? Did you get into trouble as a teen for 'wasting time reading? And if you were running a reading program for offenders, what books might you include? 

Comments

[Jo Beverley]

Anne, I agree. Reading is good for us, but especially if we enjoy it. It develops a part of our mind that can go outside of ourselves. Through fiction we can go anywhere, anytime, and do anything, just through words.

I have this theory, however, that the ability to read imaginatively needs to be practiced young, and if not that bit of the brain shrinks, leaving people who may like to read, but can only read "fiction" that they perceive as "real." All those autobiographical novels, or pseudo ones like Bridges of Madison County.

I wonder if the prisoners could have read and enjoyed Tolkein. It would be fascinating to know.

Jo

[Patricia Rice]

It's hard to determine if fiction must be learned early, but reading anything stretches the mind, enhances the ability to see beyond our own narrow parameters. If only kids could be taught how to think about what they read instead of being tested on what they read, they might all do better. But I know of no way of forcing a kid to read.

[Cynthia Owens]

I've been a devoted bookworm ever since I learned how to read, and I've always thought of books as being like friends. They take us to times and places we may never see, comfort us, guide us, and in some ways they seem like friends. I've often found books more reliable than people.

It's funny how different children in a family can be. My siblings were never avid readers, yet most of my free time was spent with my beloved books. My husband once joked that I got the chicken pox as an adult, rather than a child, because I was probably at the library when my peers got the illness.

My own children are as different as they can be too. My 14-year-old daughter loves to read, yet my 11-year-old son would rather play video games than pick up a book. But I continue to hope...

Great post, Anne!

[Susanna Fraser]

My 7-year-old daughter is addicted to video games AND books. She comes home from school every day and enjoys her allotted hour to play Minecraft or web games associated with some of her favorite toys. Then at bedtime I read to her--recent favorites have been Narnia, the first three Harry Potter books, and the Bunnicula series--and then she reads herself to sleep, mostly Magic Treehouse books or a couple of kids' mystery series for early chapter book readers she gets from her school library.

I'd been worried she wasn't going to like books, because I just couldn't get her to care about what I thought were the best stories for a girl her age, books like Little House, All-of-a-Kind Family, and Marguerite Henry's horse books. But as soon as she discovered the fantasy and mystery genres, she was sucked in. I'm still hoping to sneak some historical fiction in under her radar, but at least she's a bookworm. And I love fantasy and mystery, too, after all--I just love it more when it's in a historical setting.

[Janga]

Fascinating info about the studies, Anne. It reminded me of the Hooked on Books program with juvenile offenders that experienced success back thirty or more years ago. Mostly YA paperbacks were used in that program, and I think the relevant issues of the YA books and the user-friendly format of the mass market books that could be tucked into a pocket were thought to have contributed heavily to the program's success.

I count it a blessing to have been born into a family of readers. Both my parents read voraciously, as did most of my extended family. Always being in the process of reading a book was a habit that my siblings, my cousins, and I developed naturally. At family reunions, "What are you reading?" is still a question one hears asked of everyone from pre-schoolers to octogenerians.

[Susan/DC]

When I was young I was always asked by the grown-ups around, "Don't you want to go outside to play?" The answer was always "No, I want to read my book." I know lots of children express their imaginations though outdoor play (and I did sometimes too), but clearly Robert Lewis Stevenson had a much better imagination than I did, and he was the one I wanted to spend time with.

[Helen]

Anne

Very interesting if making repeat criminals better people I am all for it.

I have read since I was very young and could not imagine not reading a story that takes me everywhere LOL. I have 4 children 3 girls and 1 boy my daughters all read my Son never and my hubby doesn't read either although I have always encouraged my son it is just not him.
I think that reading has made me more confident over the years and as for what books I would get them to read there are so many to choose from I am not sure which I would choose.

Have Fun
Helen

[Hellion]

I did get in trouble for truly pleasure reading as a teenager. *LOL* I mean, as in reading romance novels predominantly. In fact, the prison literature book group sounds rather torturous because I managed to avoid reading most of those books for my English degree. *LOL* Well, TRULY read them. Skimming and getting the context is not the same as reading for pleasure and really thinking about the work, you know?

So I was constantly harassed for reading romances as a teenager. "Is that another smut book?" "Yep." "You had a different one yesterday." "I finished it."

I didn't think of reading for pleasure as a basis that it would make more more employable, but that it kept me focused that eventually my life would get better. It wouldn't always be this way. My teenage misery was a temporary thing. And I was right. *LOL*

[theo]

I've read like mad all my life. My best friends during my childhood were books. As an only, I had tons of time and I spent it the way I wanted which meant I would bring home an armload of books on Friday and then I would spend the day on Saturday and Sunday sometimes laying in bed reading, outside under a tree, my weekly chores with a book under my nose. I still to this day constantly have a book with me, one tucked in my glovebox, several on my nightstand and one next to my chair.

It drives my husband nuts! LOL

I worked with first graders when my oldest was one, helping all the kids in her class two days a week to learn to read or strengthen their skills. It took me 8 years to stop, I loved it. I don't have a clue, but I hope I helped at least one child to develop a love of reading.

[theo]

I meant to say, I love the changes you're making with the site! The color pictures are great and did you tweak the background colors a bit?

But seeing Edith's picture, that's a toughy for me. I still choke up. She was an awesome lady.

[Anne Gracie]

Jo, interesting theory about learning imagination young. You might be right.

I've never understood the appeal of "real" fiction. I think almost every piece of writing has a fictional aspect. History certainly does -- whoever tells the story shapes the reader's perception of the history.

As to whether any have read Tolkein, it would be interesting to know which books were more popular/successful, I agree.

[Anne Gracie]

Pat I don't think it's possible to force anyone to read -- not if you're trying to get them to enjoy it. I've been instrumental in getting a few friends' sons to read, though.
One frirend's twin boys would never willingly read, but when I visited I used to bring Gary Larsson comic books to entertain them while I talked to their mother. I took the books with me when I left, and they loved them and got better and better at reading as a result.

Another friend's son, I brought over the first few Harry Potter books and forbade him to read them, I stressed they were for his mother, not him, and told him he wouldn't like them and they were too old for him (he was 14.) His mother rang that night to report that the first book had disappeared from the pile... and so on.

So don't force them -- forbid them. LOL

[Anne Gracie]

Cynthia, I was like that -- always had to have a book on the go, and yet only one of my older siblings were readers. That was my eldest sister, and it was she who had the first romance books I ever read. When she was married with littlies, I used to go and stay during school holidays, and when I ran out of my books, there was her huge pile of Lucy Walker and other romances.

I also had chickenpox as an adult -- and wasn't it awful!

Susanna, it's great fun introducing kids to favorite books.I've been finding books to appeal to my little great niece, who's a wonderful reader. I just gave her the Magic Faraway Tree series. I enjoy reading kids books myself. Love the Bunnicula books, too.

[Anne Gracie]

Janga, I think the very best way to get kids reading is to surround them, not only with books, but with people reading and talking about books. A kind of show-don't tell of the pleasure to be found in books.

I'm several thousand kilometres away from home at the moment -- speaking at a writers conference -- and managed to slip in a visit to the nieces and nephews in this part of the world. These are the kids of the sister who reads, and I don't get to see them very often, but the conversation never faltered because, yep, you guessed it, we talked books. It was such a joy.

[Anne Gracie]

Susan, I was always out and about outside during the daytime -- reading was my evening pleasure, or for rainy days. I still love to curl up with a book in rainy days.

But my reading helped me invent lots of games with other kids -- we played pirates, we built forts, we constructed intricate rules for some of our games that went on for days and sometimes weeks. I'm sure a lot of it was fed by my reading.

Helen, it is funny how kids turn out so differently. I wonder sometimes if the gender difference that often happens in reading is because boys think reading is a girl thing

I agree that reading can make you more confident. It introduces you to different worlds and ways of behaving, and in any company, books can be a good topic of conversation.

[Anne Gracie]

Hellion, a lot of wonderful books are ruined for students by unimaginative and insensitive "teaching" of the book. And as Pat said, by testing on the books instead of energetic discussion and sharing the joy.
The class I mentioned before -- book club -- was nearly killed when I went on leave for a time, and the replacement teacher decided it was more important for the students to do lots of written exercises about the book. When I came back the class was barely viable - a handful of students only. As soon as we reverted to reading for pleasure the numbers went back up.

[Anne Gracie]

Theo, I'm thinking of volunteering as a reading tutor, too. I've done it almost all my adult life, and I miss it. It is addictive

I also have to have a book with me. Just in case.

And thank you for noticing the tweaks we've been making to the blogsite. There has been a lot of wenchly discussion on this -- Cara/Andrea has been beavering away, coming up with options, and I agree -- it's looking lovely.

[Lyn S]

The worst punishment I could get as a child was being forbidden to read. I found I could curl up in the bathtub with a towel stuffed under the door and read (see I did deserve to be punished for being defiant). Reading is an addiction for me, but now as an adult I have two lights over the tub just for reading. I know I have to stop when I run out of hot water.

[Anne Gracie]

Lyn, I don't ever remember being forbidden to read, exactly. It was more "put down that book and come and...." or "You can finish the book when you've ...

I only tried reading in the bath once, and found I hated it. Not a big fan of baths in general, actually. I get bored. Maybe I should read

[LouisaCornell]

I was one of the lucky ones. If I was reading my parents left me alone. I could entertain myself for hours and not have to deal with my brothers. I read anywhere and everywhere.

I think something reading does is teach you to care about someone other than yourself. When I read a book with compelling characters I root for them. I want them to win a better life. I want things to work out for them. Perhaps reading the stories of others helps to grow the ability to feel empathy for another human being or an animal. That my well be the beginning or rehabilitating some prisoners. Not to mention many prisoners are practically illiterate. When they learn to read it must boost their self-image tremendously.

[Janice]

The other thing reading for pleasure did for me was to improve my vocabulary, grammar and spelling painlessly without my even noticing. All those other kids were swotting spelling, grammar and composition while I was already long finished -- and back to reading my book.

I have noticed that people who are great readers -- and it doesn't seem to matter what they read as long as they do a lot of it -- have less difficulty expressing themselves, particularly in writing, and I think they have an expanded outlook as well. Perhaps that accounts for some of the success the studies found.

[Anne Gracie]

Louisa, excellent comments. Empathy is a crucial ingredient in fiction -- I've just come from a writing workshop in which I stressed the importance of readers having empathy for your characters.
I'm sure the reading program does boost prisoners self-image a great deal, and help them empathise with, and perhaps gain insight into others.

Janice, you just summed up my experience with grammar, spelling etc as a child. I acquired all those skills without noticing — actually, while having a whale of a time. I think you're right that it must account for some of that success.

[wendy p]

What a great program! Personally, I think they are reading too much into what they have the students read and not focusing on the reading for enjoyment aspect of it all though. As another poster mentioned, introducing books like Tolkien would probably be as beneficial as reading some of the older classics.

Part of the problem - and not to blame teachers - but I can remember back to my school days and having to read a book and then if you did not interpret the book according to what the teacher's interpretation was that it was seen as wrong - there was no discussion about it - right or wrong - so for me, it was a complete chore to read an assigned book because in the back of your mind you keep remembering all the times you were wrong, or just didn't get it. It wasn't until I was off at college that I realized that people can take away different things from stories and that you can discuss a book and each and every person in the room can add something - which makes you want to read another book, and another. So while I am sure that reading books that makes a reader connect with characters is important, I think it is more important that they feel as if they have something important to add is even more important to boosting their own self-esteem as a person.

[Linda Banche]

I can't imagine not reading. Since I like adventure with my romance, I can have adventures and not move from my chair. Real adventures are uncomfortable, but when I read them, I can experience them and not suffer. And romances have a happy ending, so I know everything will turn out all right.

I love to read, but my sister doesn't. Then there was the friend who always skipped the descriptions. I can't imagine not reading every word. I especially like descriptions. I think today's books don't have enough description.

The worst one was the former friend who proudly said she never read anything. I should have known right then that the clod could never be a real friend.

[Anne Gracie]

Louisa, it's funny how we differ so much in our reading habits. I never turn to the end to see how it works out... except when I'm really really scared a character might not make it, then I 'cheat'. But lots of friends routinely read the end of a book before they even buy it.

I do like description if it's done well, but yes, I think you're right and tastes have changes and writers are under more pressure to cut to the chase.

[Ann Stephens]

What an amazing article. I'm intrigued by the idea of using books to help criminals reform, as I have relatives who work in the justice system.

And I had to laugh when I read the comment about encouraging reading by forbidding it. I got my kids interested in Shakespeare by telling them his plays have too many references to sex. Sadly, after enjoying several productions of our local Shakespeare festival over many summers, my oldest took a high school class on the Bard and that pretty much killed it for her.