The Power of Reading: Insights from the Research

This text argues that as the educational achievement of our nation's youth plummets and reports of "functional illiteracy" and alliteracy fill the media, the demand for literacy, even in mundane jobs, has soared. In response to this dilemma, author Stephen Drashen proposes an obvious, but often overlooked, solution: reading. According to Krashen, reading is the most powerful tool available for building a child's vocabulary and for increasing the ability to read, write, spell and comprehend. After a summary and probing examination of the research on reading and a critique of traditional approaches to the teaching of reading, Krashen advocates a programme of free voluntary reading (FVR) in the schools. FVR means time is set aside to allow young people to read what they want to read, even if it's comic books or romances. In support of his argument, Krashen presents the cumulation of a century of research from different countries. He discusses the positive effects of reading aloud, light reading and reading nontraditional forms of literature, and the importance of the library and a print-rich environment. And he offers guidelines for the implementation of an FVR programme. He also addresses issues such as the limits of reading and writing and the effects of television.