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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Reading on the rise among young Danes | Reading on the rise among young Danes |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Despite a myriad of new media competing for their attention, Danish children are bucking the trend and reading more books today than they did 14 years ago. | Despite a myriad of new media competing for their attention, Danish children are bucking the trend and reading more books today than they did 14 years ago. |
| A survey of 1,999 schoolchildren found that the proportion of nine- to 12-year-olds who read books in their free time had climbed from 56% to 61% since 2000. Young Danes are still watching TV and using digital devices, but not at the cost of reading books. | A survey of 1,999 schoolchildren found that the proportion of nine- to 12-year-olds who read books in their free time had climbed from 56% to 61% since 2000. Young Danes are still watching TV and using digital devices, but not at the cost of reading books. |
| The study attributed the increased interest in physical books to the focus schools have placed on reading over the past decade or so. “There have been several effective government campaigns in Danish schools such as Læselyst, or ‘Love of reading’,” said Stine Reinholdt Hansen, of the Centre for Children’s Literature at Aarhus University, who led the research. | The study attributed the increased interest in physical books to the focus schools have placed on reading over the past decade or so. “There have been several effective government campaigns in Danish schools such as Læselyst, or ‘Love of reading’,” said Stine Reinholdt Hansen, of the Centre for Children’s Literature at Aarhus University, who led the research. |
| “We’ve also given reading for pleasure a lot of attention the last 15 years,” she added. “Many primary school students now have to read a book of their own choosing each week.” | |
| Danish caregivers have been encouraged to take children’s personal reading preferences more seriously. “Teachers, parent and librarians all used to press upon children the books they considered good,” said Nina Christensen, from the department of aesthetics and communication at Aarhus University. | Danish caregivers have been encouraged to take children’s personal reading preferences more seriously. “Teachers, parent and librarians all used to press upon children the books they considered good,” said Nina Christensen, from the department of aesthetics and communication at Aarhus University. |
| “Now we see that a child has the right to decide what to read – and that it’s an important part of the grown-ups’ role to facilitate the kind of literature children like. We believe that a child’s willingness to read is more important than any snobbery about what they read, to start with.” | “Now we see that a child has the right to decide what to read – and that it’s an important part of the grown-ups’ role to facilitate the kind of literature children like. We believe that a child’s willingness to read is more important than any snobbery about what they read, to start with.” |
| Hansen added: “If a child wants to read book after book about horses or sexy vampires or man-eating zombies, then they should be able to. But they’ll also be taught about critical thinking and how to challenge stereotypes from a young age.” | Hansen added: “If a child wants to read book after book about horses or sexy vampires or man-eating zombies, then they should be able to. But they’ll also be taught about critical thinking and how to challenge stereotypes from a young age.” |
| Another theory as to why Danish schoolchildren have turned into bookworms is that publishers have become better at responding to research into reading habits and creating books that kids love. “We asked children what genre of reading material they preferred and across age, gender and ethnicity, the answer was always humour,” said Hansen. | Another theory as to why Danish schoolchildren have turned into bookworms is that publishers have become better at responding to research into reading habits and creating books that kids love. “We asked children what genre of reading material they preferred and across age, gender and ethnicity, the answer was always humour,” said Hansen. |
| Christensen added: “Publishers have taken this research seriously and created more of the books kids want to read. For instance, we found that boys stopped reading at a certain age and so publishers targeted their offerings more carefully and now we’re seeing more boys read for longer.” | Christensen added: “Publishers have taken this research seriously and created more of the books kids want to read. For instance, we found that boys stopped reading at a certain age and so publishers targeted their offerings more carefully and now we’re seeing more boys read for longer.” |
| In the UK, the National Literacy Trust’s annual survey of children’s and young people’s reading found in 2013 that just over 50% said they liked reading, but only about 33% read for pleasure outside class every day – a lower proportion than in 2005. | In the UK, the National Literacy Trust’s annual survey of children’s and young people’s reading found in 2013 that just over 50% said they liked reading, but only about 33% read for pleasure outside class every day – a lower proportion than in 2005. |