by Samantha Pope, tutor in English Literature, English Language, Spanish and creative writing. Samantha is always happy to talk about books with her students and help them to develop a reading habit.
Posted July 2025
Do you enjoy reading for pleasure or do you find it a chore? While picking up a book might seem like the last thing you want to do after a day spent at school, you might find you enjoy it … and the benefits will stretch far beyond increasing your vocabulary.
When you have to read Shakespeare, Victorian literature, poetry and a modern play or novel as part of your GCSEs, reading might feel a little too prescriptive for you. Additionally, analysing a piece of writing to death can suck the joy out of it – I know, and I teach literature! However, this is all the more reason to find books that you can just sit back and enjoy, with no need to constantly work out what every simile and metaphor is trying to say.
The idea for writing this article came from reading the results of the National Literacy Trust’s (NLT) Reading for Pleasure annual survey, published in June 2025. The literacy charity had interviewed nearly 115,000 children aged 5–15 to see how many picked up a book in their spare time as a form of entertainment. The results were not only disappointing – they were also very worrying.
A third of children and teenagers surveyed (aged 8–18) said that they enjoyed reading in their spare time, while only a fifth said they read something daily that is not related to their studies. (This does not include surfing the internet or reading messages or social media.) These levels are the lowest in 20 years and point to a potential crisis in the literary and literacy habits of young people, all of whom said they knew the benefits of reading but just didn’t want to.
Are you one of these people?
One of the major distractors of children, teenagers and adults are smartphones. You only have to walk down the street or look at people on the bus or train and you will probably notice at least half of them looking at their phones. While they definitely have their uses, and can be very helpful in many situations, turning to your phone or tablet too often can bring negative effects.
Psychologists have started voicing their concerns about the effects of smartphones and social media on young people, citing rising rates of emotional difficulties and problems with concentration. In an interview with the Guardian, Jonathan Haidt, author of the bestselling book The Anxious Generation, blames smartphones for the collapse in young people’s mental health stating that the risk of depression in young people increases by 13% for each extra hour spent on social media.
On the other hand, a 2023 short report by the NLT showed the emotional benefits of reading for pleasure, with 59% of children and young people reporting that it helped them relax, nearly 50% said it made them feel happy, and a third stated that it made them feel more confident or helped them to deal with problems.
So, what is the solution? Reading, of course! Not everyone is a natural bookworm but most of us can find something we enjoy, rather like we would when we choose a game, a television programme or a film. Why not start there, then? What captures your interest on the screen?
Do you prefer to lose yourself in fantasy worlds? Perhaps you enjoy the challenge of a mystery or the humour of a comedic book?
Alternatively, you might be more interested in non-fiction and love finding out about facts and figures. History, politics, science – there are books out there to suit everyone. Why not go into a library or bookshop and do what we’re always advised against doing – judging a book by its cover? Alternatively, go up and ask a shop assistant or librarian for recommendations – they love doing that!
There are also websites, such as www.whichbook.net, which allow you to search books not only by author by also by other criteria, such as the mood you’re in and different countries of the world.
If you are unused to reading for pleasure – perhaps you never have been into it, or you’ve fallen out of the reading habit in more recent years – try easing yourself into your new habit. When I talk to my students about doing this, I recommend they start off small. If, for example, you commit to reading five minutes a day, that doesn’t seem quite so arduous. I encourage my students to think of the activity as akin to mindfulness: just focus for five minutes on your chosen book and forget about the multitude of other things competing for your attention.
It’s also important to choose a time when you’re less likely to be distracted or disturbed. I am still a great fan of bedtime stories and even read aloud with my husband because I never grew out of the habit of wanting a story last thing before I go to sleep.
Once you get into the swing of it (I usually suggest my students give a book a chance for about the first 50 pages or so as it can take that long to see if the story is growing on them or not) you can then extend your reading time to ten minutes a day, or whatever feels best for you. You might find that you want to spend longer … or you might prefer to keep it to five minutes. It doesn’t matter how long you’re spending! What is important is that you’re giving it a go.
In this way, reading can be seen as any other activity that you train in to improve. A runner doesn’t expect to win the 100-metre dash or a marathon after a few sessions. It takes time and perseverance but I am absolutely convinced that, once you embark on your reading adventure, you will have a marvellous time.
We hope that you have enjoyed reading our blog and feel inspired to delve into a new book! We would love to hear from you if so! To read guidance on preparing for exams in English Literature please select one of the below blogs. To read one of our other blog posts, please return to the main blog page. If you would be interested in attending a revision course or booking some online subject tuition, please contact us today for further information or apply via our online application forms.
This blog post will look to highlight some of the best literary techniques to push your analysis to the next level and get you the top marks.
Subscribe today for the latest news and updates
Oxford Science Studies is a trading name of Fieldwork Education Ltd, Registered Company Number 03299897.
Copyright @ 2024 Nord Anglia Education
Nord Anglia Education
4th Floor, Nova South
160 Victoria Street
London, United Kingdom
SW1E 5LB
+44(0)207 131 0000
enquiries@nordanglia.com
