Reading lies at the foundation of all literacies and, in an era of increased digital consumption, information overwhelm and fake news, we are losing a sort of psychic habit, a logic, a sense of complexity, an ability to spot contradictions and even falsity.
Currently there is a large gap in achievement between secondary school students who read books for pleasure and those who do not (OECD, 2010; Mol and Bus, 2011), and the strongest predictor of reading growth from age 10 to age 16 is whether a child reads for pleasure
(Sullivan & Brown, 2013).
Reading as a teen leads to success. When teens read more than just their classroom assignments, research clearly shows that they generally do well in school. First of all, the extra reading expands their vocabularies. It also shows them how different writers put down their thoughts leading to better writing skills. And teens who read more serious literary works gain skills in handling complex ideas. The more teens read, the more information they pick up. This leads to a solid core of knowledge that is useful in a wide variety of classes. For example, the teen who reads biographies has a better understanding of prominent people studied in history classes.
Another big dividend of reading as a teen is a good score on the verbal section of a college admissions test. No other activity builds the vocabulary and comprehension skills needed to do well on these tests as well as reading.
Reading for Pleasure Matters
That there are fewer teenagers reading books than in the past may not come as much of a surprise. Supporting teens to read for pleasure — developing the ‘will’ to read — brings a raft of benefits and is a powerful ally in developing literate, compassionate, healthy, and engaged citizens.
Reading for pleasure is associated with numerous benefits — from improvements in reading achievement and comprehension, writing, vocabulary, and general knowledge to improved empathy, understanding of self and others, and wellbeing.
The more you enjoy reading, the more you read. The more you read, the better you become at reading. The better you become, the more you read — a virtuous cycle.
Reading Engagement and Wellbeing
The 2018 National Literacy Trust report Mental wellbeing, reading and writing, based on findings from a survey of 49,047 teenagers aged 12 to 18 years in the UK, found:
‘Teens who are the most engaged with literacy are three times more likely to have higher levels of mental wellbeing than those who are the least engaged (39.4% vs 11.8%).
conversely, teens who are the least engaged with literacy are twice as likely to have low levels of mental wellbeing than their peers who are the most engaged (37.4% vs 15%).’
Building a Camp Reading Culture
After exploring the idea of a camp-based reading program in 2021, Camp Genesis will introduced a reading program in 2022. Jarrod de Jong, camp director, wants to encourage a love of reading by connecting teens to the stories in the books they read. Camp is a powerful environment for teens to make emotional connections — in friendships with peers and adults, through support for trying new things, and by being in a place of beauty and wonder. This openness to emotional connections can be extended to reading. Camp could be a place where reading is one of the coolest things to do. “If we want teenagers to choose to read, we need to be reading role models, who encourage, support, and provide time for teens to read” says De Jong.
Some might argue that reading programs do not have a place at camp, that camp should be a “break” from formal academics.
“Yes, reading fits into a camp program, because it expands their minds, ignites their imaginations and gives them more ideas that ultimately leads to personal growth.” – Tony Wake, Camp Genesis program director.
Research, however, suggests that taking a break from reading can be problematic, not only from an academic standpoint, but from a personal development standpoint as well. In an age where students are categorized based on their reading ability, there are high stakes for literacy development. Opportunities to read in a purposeful way allow campers to maintain their learning skills during school holidays but also explore their developing identities.
Evaluations of reading programs at camp have documented several specific positive outcomes.
It improves recreational and academic reading attitudes significantly; Majority of campers (75%) shows an increase in vocabulary knowledge over the course of a reading program; Campers wrote more frequently in their journals during downtime; and Campers checked out significantly more books at the school library than other students. This indicates that the interest in reading is sustained. What is clear from these evaluations is that reading at camp is fun and good for teens. Reading also helps them expand their horizons as they learn more about people and the world. Plus, reading can show teens that everyone has problems in his or her life and may even help teens see solutions to their own problems.
Finally, reading is enjoyable. It can bring a great deal of pleasure to teens. Get In touch with us for the next camp!