The Importance of Reading for Academic Achievement and Improved Life Chances

Since its inception, reading and writing have been the foundation of our educational system. But discovering ways to improve academic success has been a challenge in the modern classroom. Many educators have been encouraging students to read outside of school beyond what the course matter is. In this article, we share the impact of pleasure reading on academic success and improved life chances. 

The Impact of Pleasure Reading On Academic Achievement

Students who read self-selected literature, be it fiction or nonfiction have better comprehension ability, verbal fluency, and content knowledge. They in general score better in all subject areas than their non-reading peers.  Here, we discuss the impact of pleasure reading on academic achievement:

• Activating Prior Knowledge- To each reader/student prior knowledge is unique. It makes students view a topic or an experience from different angles. For example, culture can be religious or can be connected with food, traditions, music, and more. 
• Making and Verifying Predictions- This is about anticipation. Students who read can expect actions, events, and ideas that might come up in a text. For example, the use of cues to predict the theme or plot of a book’s title or cover.  
• Visualizing- All senses are involved while creating a visual in the mind when something is being read. For example, a student can think about sound, smell, taste, and picture on the basis of what is being read. This boosts their creative intellect.
• Asking and Generating Answers- Students who are well-read frequently ask themselves questions and also try to generate answers. For example, during reading, a student might come across a new word and might try to decipher the meaning. 
• Summarising- Students who read can understand the structure of a story or the sequence of a text. Further, they can put the most pivotal aspects in their own words in a test.
• Synthesising- This means merging existing knowledge with new information and is a high-order cognitive skill. Reading might confirm what a student already knows or might add to it, thereby, also challenging them to consider alternatives.
• Critical Thinking- Helps the students to be a critic and understand the intention of the author. Further, they can evaluate the author’s work and ask questions like:
• Why did the author choose this topic?
• What is the purpose of the author?
• What information is missing?
• What is it that I (student) think or feel about the content of this text?