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| Reading vs scrolling |
A few weeks ago, I conducted a simple survey among my teenage students about their reading habits. The results surprised me—and, to be honest, worried me.
Among fifteen students, only one student reported reading books regularly. Just one.
Most of the others told me that they "read online": social media posts, websites, chats, news snippets, or content recommended by algorithms. While this certainly involves reading in a broad sense, it is very different from the sustained, focused reading that books require.
Their responses prompted me to dedicate a couple of lessons to a topic that has been receiving increasing attention from educators, researchers, and parents alike: the reading crisis among children and young people. Together, we explored videos, podcasts, articles, and studies examining the decline in book reading and its possible consequences for learning, thinking and personal development.
The more we discussed the issue, the more I realised that this is not simply a question of whether young people enjoy reading. It raises deeper questions about attention, language, empathy, critical thinking, creativity and even how our brains develop.
The reflections that follow emerged from those classroom discussions and from the research we examined together. They are not intended as an attack on technology or digital media. Rather, they are an invitation to consider what books offer that scrolling alone cannot.
1. Reading builds a richer vocabulary
Books expose us to a much wider range of words than everyday conversations, television, or social media. Through reading, students encounter new expressions, varied sentence structures, and more sophisticated language.
The more we read, the more tools we have to communicate our thoughts effectively. Students who rarely read often find it harder to express themselves clearly, both in speaking and writing.
2. Reading strengthens critical thinking
Unlike much of the content we consume online, books require us to slow down and think. Readers must follow arguments, interpret events, understand characters' motivations, and make connections between ideas.
Whether reading a novel or a non-fiction text, the brain is constantly analysing information. These are the same skills students need to solve problems, evaluate evidence, and make informed decisions.
3. Reading improves focus and attention
Reading a book requires sustained concentration. There are no instant notifications, autoplay videos, or endless feeds pulling our attention elsewhere.
In contrast, digital media often encourages us to jump quickly from one piece of information to another. Over time, this can make it more difficult to focus on longer and more demanding tasks.
Like a muscle, attention grows stronger when it is exercised. Reading provides exactly that kind of training.
4. Reading helps us understand other people
One of the most remarkable benefits of reading, especially fiction, is its ability to develop empathy.
When we read about characters facing challenges, making mistakes, or experiencing different emotions, we practise seeing the world through someone else's eyes. This helps us better understand perspectives that may be very different from our own.
In a time when social and emotional skills are increasingly important, books offer a powerful way to nurture them.
5. Reading fuels imagination and creativity
When watching a film or a video, the images are provided for us. When reading, our minds create those images.
Books invite readers to imagine places, characters, and events using their own creativity. Every page becomes an opportunity to build entire worlds in the mind.
This active engagement stimulates imagination in ways that passive forms of entertainment often cannot.
6. Reading supports memory
Readers constantly need to remember information: characters, events, settings, facts, arguments, and connections between ideas.
This mental workout strengthens memory and helps the brain retain information more effectively.
By comparison, much online content is designed for quick consumption and is often forgotten just as quickly.
7. Reading helps us understand complex ideas
Many important topics cannot be explained in a 30-second video or a short social media post.
Books allow authors to explore ideas in depth and give readers the time needed to reflect on them. Through reading, students learn to grapple with complexity, consider different viewpoints, and develop intellectual curiosity.
These abilities are essential not only for academic success but also for informed citizenship and lifelong learning.
8. Reading improves writing
Good writers are almost always good readers.
Through reading, students absorb vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, and style. They learn how effective communication works because they encounter it repeatedly in authentic contexts.
Books provide models of strong writing that social media posts rarely offer.
9. Reading benefits the brain throughout life
The advantages of reading do not end when school does.
Research suggests that people who engage in intellectually stimulating activities such as reading may be better equipped to maintain cognitive health as they age. In other words, reading helps keep the brain active and resilient throughout life.
10. Reading is a powerful tool for personal growth
Perhaps the greatest benefit of reading is that it allows us to learn from experiences beyond our own.
Books challenge our assumptions, introduce us to new perspectives, and encourage self-reflection. They help us grow intellectually, emotionally, and personally.
A good book can inform us, inspire us, comfort us, or even change the way we see the world.
A final thought
The fact that only one student among 15 reads books regularly does not mean that today's teenagers are lazy, uninterested, or incapable of learning. They are growing up in an environment designed to capture and fragment attention in ways previous generations never experienced.
However, this makes reading books more important, not less.
Reading is often compared to exercise for the brain, and for good reason. Just as physical activity strengthens our bodies, reading strengthens our ability to think, focus, imagine, communicate, and understand others.
Videos, social media, and digital content certainly have their place. The goal is not to reject technology, but to recognise that books offer something different—something deeper.
In an age of constant distraction, choosing to read may be one of the most valuable habits we can encourage in our students and cultivate in ourselves.
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