The Literacy Crisis: Why future generations are being failed

An Oxford University professor, Sir Jonathan Bate, recently expressed concerns that state-educated students are struggling to read long novels, which he attributes to declining literacy rates and a lack of exposure to lengthy texts. A week prior to this, The Atlantic published an article that revealed “many students no longer arrive at college… prepared to read books.” This comes as no surprise to me. Social media has laid waste to our attention spans; short form content dominates, simplicity is valued over complexity (even song lyrics are simpler) and reading is an exercise in delayed gratification. Anything that takes longer than 3 minutes to read is, like a wait for a Tube in London, simply too long. 

The foundation for strong reading habits begins in childhood

The National Literacy Trust estimates that one in six (7.1 million people) adults in the UK have “very poor literacy skills”. And while we might have a better grasp of why adults don’t read (barriers including time constraints, ability to focus, low reading confidence, and lack of interesting material), it doesn’t absolve us of encouraging children to read, and ensuring they are properly equipped to do so. To do so would be to deprive them of all the joy, comfort, knowledge, and independence it can bring. Just two out of five children enjoy reading. In addition, one in seven state primary schools in the UK don't have a library (this rises to one in four schools in disadvantaged communities); it hardly seems surprising that children are not turning to reading for pleasure. 

The foundation for strong reading habits begins in childhood, beginning with how we teach children to read. Early exposure to books and an emphasis on literacy education are key to developing the skills needed to confidently tackle more challenging texts later in life. Early literacy is crucial, however, fostering a love for reading isn't straightforward—especially in more challenging educational environments. From my own experience working in a special educational needs (SEN) school, I saw that students living with SEND face even more barriers to reading, often struggling to learn how to read in the first place. 

Every child must have the chance to develop a meaningful connection with reading

Reading is a complex skill made up of five key components: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.  My experiences showed me the importance of tailoring literacy approaches to individual needs, ensuring that every child, regardless of ability, has the chance to develop a meaningful connection with reading from an early age. But one thing that relies on, especially in a SEN school, is having lots of well-trained staff members. You’ve heard the rest – budget constraints mean this cannot be facilitated. Teachers also spend an increasing amount of time dealing with challenging behaviours, and the most immediate effect is lost teaching time. It doesn’t help that the education sector is suffering heavy losses of teachers as well as support staff.

It is also increasingly difficult to engage children with reading, especially those who do not gravitate to it. For many of the students I worked with, reading was a hard sell, often due to the additional hurdles they faced with concentration, comprehension, or finding material that resonated with them. For many SEN students, mastering these elements can be a challenge. What helped was having a variety of materials, which included fiction, non-fiction, alongside comics and magazines. One thing I did to start to question was the level of focus that is dedicated to phonics. 

The case for a more balanced approach

The primary focus of phonics is ensuring children are able to segment words into graphemes (letters or groups of letters) and phonemes (the smallest units of sound in spoken language), and blend them in order to read a word. Phonics programmes (such as Read Write Inc, developed by Ruth Miskin) provide teaching materials including books matched to phonetic ability. While I concede that phonics has an important role to play, I also think it can lead children to see reading as a chore. And perhaps, students think that reading the words alone is what reading is, which it is, but it doesn’t address decoding, understanding the text, or gaining meaning from it. This raises the question of whether a broader approach might be more beneficial. Professor Dominic Wyse from University College London’s Faculty of Education & Society, proposes in The Conversation that a new model called the "Double Helix of Reading and Writing" is more effective for young children than current methods for teaching phonics. 

The Double Helix model for teaching focuses on motivating children through real books, drawing from their languages, experiences, and the texts they encounter in their homes and communities. Lessons integrate reading and writing, prioritising comprehension and text creation. While phonics is taught, it is balanced with other key aspects of reading. For example, phonemes are introduced through whole texts rather than decodable books. Children engage in discussions about stories and pictures, not just phonics, and also practice writing, ensuring that reading and writing are meaningful and connected.

What is clear is that we cannot allow large numbers of children to progress through the education system without mastering the essential skill of reading. Literacy is a fundamental life skill that forms the foundation for future learning, critical thinking, and personal growth. Without it, children are left at a significant disadvantage, limiting their opportunities both academically and in life. If we fail to address this issue, we are not only failing the current generation but doing a disservice to future generations, leaving them ill-equipped to navigate an increasingly complex world. Schools must prioritise effective literacy instruction to ensure every child can read confidently.