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Written question asked by Tracy Brabin (Labour) on Wednesday, 3 March 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 March 2021 (named day). It was answered by Nick Gibb (Conservative) on Tuesday, 9 March 2021 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Children: Reading

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment his Department has made of the importance of reading for pleasure in improving children’s literacy levels.

Answer

Reading for pleasure brings a range of benefits. As well as the strong links between reading for pleasure and attainment, there are a number of other positive effects including: improved text comprehension and grammar, positive reading attitudes, pleasure in reading in later life, increased general knowledge and character development.

The National Curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. Within the National Curriculum, the programmes of study for English have been developed to make clear the importance of reading for pleasure. The National Curriculum also emphasises the importance of listening to, discussing and – as pupils’ fluency increases – reading for themselves a wide range of stories, poems, plays, and information books.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
162670
Session
2019-21
Subjects
Children Reading Literacy
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk