Throughout the years, there have been many studies and experiments on the decline of reading. The constant result in these studies show very visibly; that American’s reading has declined. It has been shown that teens and young adults read a smaller amount when compared with Americas past. Reading is declining as an activity among teenagers. Less than one-third of thirteen year olds are daily readers. As Americans read less and less, their reading skills go downhill. Just more than one-third of high school seniors read proficiently (National Endowment of Arts). It has also been proven that teens who willingly read have better test results than that of a non-reader. Good readers also play a key role in our society. In a study by the National Endowment of the Arts (N.E.A.), readers are more than three times as likely to create artwork, visit museums, and attend concerts than that of a non-reader. N.E.A. also stated that readers are likely to volunteer or do charities. Multiple experiments, statements, and theories have showed that reading is the basic foundation of a successful and healthy life.

Growing up, every opportunity I had I was reading. Up until I was about fourteen I stopped reading. With school, sports, family, and friends I didn’t have much time to read. It wasn’t until a year later that I realized my reading skills weren’t the same. I was much slower than I was before. So this summer, I read every chance I could. Not only did my reading pace grow quicker, I possessed new vocabulary and life lessons from the stories. In my opinion, reading is one of the most crucial things a person can do/have. Books teach you morals, vocabulary, and grammar. With today’s society, reading isn’t portrayed to be that important. Yes, it’s important for children to read, but it’s just as important for teenagers and adults to read too. At school, when we are asked to read I can’t help but notice that many of my peers have a hard time reading. What is easy for some is hard for others. In my view, schools are a key factor to the decline of reading. Schools that have access to books lead to more readers, while poverty schools lacking the materials, lead to fewer readers. In addition, I think if children are brought up reading and shown that it’s exciting, more kids and teens will be eager to read. Another key factor I believe to lead in the decline of reading is the media. Not only does the media portray reading to be dull, it shows that people who don’t read will still be successful. Yes, some people can become billionaires without proper education, however it’s not likely. Media also is an outlet for reading. At school, when assigned to read a book, more than half the students will just search the internet for the plot and character overview of the story. These websites are taking away the education of many students.

Reading is a value that for the most part people will take for granted. Books are an outlet and good source for enjoyment or just plain old boredom. Not only do books teach values, they also inspire you. To me, reading is an important aspect of life. So next time you’re free or bored, pick up a book and read it; you may just be surprised as to how fun it really is to read.