Oxfordshire charity urges parents to become ‘reading role models’ this World Book Day
ARCh Oxfordshire say adults need to lead by example to spark children's interest in books
An Oxfordshire reading charity is calling on parents to become 'reading role models' this World Book Day, as figures show children’s enjoyment of books remains low.
Assisted Reading for Children (ARCh) is reminding families that the day is about more than dressing up – and that adults have a key part to play in shaping children’s attitudes to reading.
This year's World Book Day falls during the National Year of Reading, which follows statistics showing that one in three children say they enjoy reading and only one in five read daily.
In Oxfordshire, ARCh found that a quarter of children leave primary school without meeting the expected reading level for their age, and in some areas this number can be even higher.
Emma Orton from the charity said the influence of technology has led to fewer children reading physical books.
“We literally see in our sessions that children try to swipe the page because it's just muscle memory for them - they're so used to being on screens,” she said.
She believes the absence of adult reading habits at home can make a significant difference.
“I think a lot of it is around reading role models and as a generation, we might not love reading in the same way that perhaps previous generations read at home because we're more interested in our screens and we're on our phones more at home,” she said.
“If children don't see a reading model in their home, it's harder for them to pick up a book themselves.”
However, Emma said families can use World Book Day is an opportunity reset habits.
“Sometimes the message can get a little bit lost because people are so concerned about the costumes,” she said. “But we need to remember that World Book Day is all about reading so any time that you can read to a child is going to make a difference.”
She suggested practical steps such as giving children bedtime stories, encouraging them to read after school instead of using a tablet, and crucially, leading by example.
“I think building a culture of reading is really important in a household – that it's not something that you do because you're forced to do. It's something that people do because they enjoy it,” she said.
Emily also highlighted the importance of finding children's specific interests to encourage open discussions around reading.
For parents, it might be the first time they have that conversation. When they ask what their child wants to dress up as for World Book Day and they might say something to do with a book that they’ve read in school, which they’d never talked about.”
As children across Oxfordshire prepare to dress as their favourite literary characters, ARCh hopes the meaning of the day will not be forgotten and more children will get reading.