Children ‘should be encouraged to read widely’
UK children should be encouraged to read in a wide range of mediums, not just books, but also websites, newspapers and magazines, a sector expert has claimed.
Di Hatchett, director of the Every Child a Chance Trust, said kids should not simply be encouraged to read books, but they should be given license to experience the written word in all its forms and this can help to improve child literacy and confidence.
She commented: "We have to have a very wide concept of and recognise the value of reading newspapers, magazines and all sorts of reading media."
Ms Hatchett added the best way to encourage children to read is for parents to get involved, but this can be difficult in some cases if the parents themselves have problems with literacy.
According to a recent report by the National Literacy Trust, one in six eight to 17-year-olds in the UK have not read a book in the last month.
