By Karla Sullivan
Since struggling in elementary school as a reader but finally learning the joy of a good novel, the splendor of reading has never left my side. Boredom is not an option and whenever there is time free from work, it is never free from a book that takes me on vacation, calms my nerves and improves my mind.
Actually, studies suggest that getting involved in fiction can create a more empathetic personality. Studies have also proved that those who read consistently are two and half times less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s. Reading can improve cognitive functions especially memory if beginning in the early years.
Those who developed strength in culture and vocabulary were avid readers. They were generally strong writers as well. And readers were better at diminishing stress in their lives when being immersed in a good book than even music lovers listening to their favorites; being able to not only soothe their minds, active muscles but their heart as well.
Reading spiritual books can lower blood pressure and bring about an immense sense of calm, while reading self inspired books has been shown to help people suffering from depression and mild mental illnesses.
Sadly, last year according to the US Department of Education, 32 million adults can’t read. According to Begin to Read the following shows the latest statistics:
· 21% can read below a 5th grade level in the US
· 19% of high school students can’t read in the US
· 85% of all juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are illiterate
· Illiteracy and crime are closely related. The Department of Justice states, “The link between academic failure and delinquency, violence, and crime is welded to reading failure.” Over 70% of inmates in America’s prisons cannot read above a fourth grade level.
Research was conducted by Dr Alice Sullivan and Matt Brown, who analyzed the reading behavior of approximately 6,000 young people being followed by the 1970 British Cohort Study, which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. They looked at how often the teenagers read during childhood and their test results in math, vocabulary and spelling at ages 5, 10 and 16.
The researchers, who are based in the IOE’s Centre for Longitudinal Studies, compared children from the same social backgrounds who had achieved the same test scores as each other both at ages 5 and 10. They discovered that those who read books often at age 10 and more than once a week at age 16 gained higher results in all three tests at age 16 than those who read less regularly.
Dr. Sullivan says this study underlines the importance of encouraging children to read – even in the digital age. “There are concerns that young people’s reading for pleasure has declined. There could be various reasons for this, including more time spent in organized activities, more homework, and of course more time spent online,” she said.
