Reading Sparks Learning

During the pandemic, reading may play a more important role in a student’s learning process than ever before.

Research shows that interruptions in a child’s education can result in learning loss, a phenomenon which worsens as a child moves up in grade level. Disruptions in formal educational systems have affected 91% of the world’s student population, according to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.)

Reading or being read to can really help a student during this time of education disruption. Just like your body, your brain benefits from regular exercise to keep it strong, stimulated and focused. Reading is brain exercise. When the brain is in top form, it’s better able to develop crucial skills such as analytical thinking, creativity and comprehension which are important in life and key to mastering educational areas like math, science and history. Not only does reading help children continue to learn while school is disrupted, it also helps students preserve skills they’ve already mastered in school.

“Reading is the key that opens up the doors to learning all other subjects, so it’s important to keep encouraging students to read. Keep it fun, so it doesn’t seem like a chore. Read aloud (even to school-aged kids); ask kids to draw their own illustrations to a book or poem; or play board games with a reading component. Any activity that involves reading helps build a child’s word bank,” said Sarah Howard, children’s and youth services manager with the Daniel Boone Regional Library.

Another important reason children and adults should read is that it improves mental health. A study published in the Journal of College Teaching and Learning shows that as little as 30 minutes of reading each day can lower a person’s heart rate and blood pressure, as well as reducing psychological distress.

When we as readers immerse ourselves in someone else’s world, real or imagined, the story distracts us from stressful realities. Reading stories also makes people feel less isolated from family and friends.

The same benefits accrue, whether students read a textbook, a novel, a comic or a sports magazine. It also doesn’t matter whether they’re reading a physical book, listening to an audiobook or scrolling through an eBook on a phone. They’re getting the kind of mental exercise they need to retain information and set the foundation for continued learning after the crisis.