儿童和青少年纸质及数字阅读趋势

A large body of research shows that print reading matters. For example, childrenand young people who read print books in their free time tend to achieve higherscores in national and international assessments than those who read only digitaltexts (OECD, 2022). Over the past two decades, however, the ways in which many ofus read have changed, shaped by the widespread use of connected devices ineveryday life. Our research shows that many children and young people readregularly in digital formats, including both the keenest readers and those with thelowest levels of reading enjoyment, as well as those with limited access to printedmaterials (Clark & Picton, 2019). A prominent concern in research relating to reading digitally is its impact oncomprehension (Delgado et al., 2018; Støle et al., 2020). Some studies point to a‘screen inferiority’ effect (see, e.g., Carr, 2011; Hakemulder & Mangen 2024; Jensenet al., 2024), while others find little or no difference in reading comprehensionbetween print and digital reading (see, e.g., Alisaari et al., 2018; Li & Yan, 2024).Increasingly, evidence suggests that reading comprehension on screen is affectedby factors such as age, print-reading experience, the device being used and thetext being read (see, e.g., Clinton, 2019; Salmerón, 2024). For example, while digital reading in leisure time is linked to lower comprehensionamong primary and middle school pupils, this relationship turns positive by the timeyoung people reach secondary school and college age (Altamura et al., 2023).Relatedly, print comprehension skills are a strong predictor of digitalcomprehension, with highly skilled readers showing little or no evidence of a ‘screeninferiority’ effect when reading digitally (Grammatikopoulou et al., 2025; Salmeron,2021; Stiegler-Balfour, 2023). This indicates that print-reading abilities andexperiences provide an important foundation for reading comprehension acrossformats. The debate over screen time is another significant topic in the digital landscape,with device bans in educational settings and age limits for social media attractingwidespread attention. However, research shows that using digital devices forpurposeful reading, such as reading ebooks, is linked to positive outcomes (see,e.g., Sanders et al., 2019) and, some argue, should not be conflated with issues inthe wider discourse (Düwell, 2024). In addition, while the cognitive aspects of digitalreading are much discussed (Hare et al., 2024), less is known about how childrenand young people’s reading choices across print and digital formats fit into theireveryday lives. Understanding these everyday reading experiences is essential if we are to supportreading development in ways that reflect how literacy is currently enacted andexperienced. To support reading in today’s world, we need a clearer picture of how children and young people read now, whether in or out of school and across printand digital spaces (Loh, 2024). Regardless of reading format, readers must judgethe quality of information, navigate different types of text, and decide what can betrusted, and these skills are increasingly important in relation to digital and AIliteracy (see, e.g., Schleicher, as cited in Mesure, 2025). What this report looks at We have been gathering insights from children and young people about theiraccess to technology, and their experiences of reading using technology, since ourfirst survey of reading attitudes and behaviours in 2005 (Clark & Foster, 2005).Over this time, our research has explored digital reading from a range ofperspectives. In this report, reading is defined as engagement with written text, regardless of theformat or purpose. This includes reading undertaken for enjoyment, learning,information or communication, and reflects how children and young peopleencounter text across print and digital environments. Until now, however, we have not brought our findings together in a single report.This report does so by looking at patterns over the past two decades, with aparticular focus on trends since 2017, which is when we began asking children andyoung people to report separately on their print and digital reading in their freetime. Where relevant, we also draw on earlier data collected since 2005. By bringing this evidence together, the report aims to build a clearer picture of howUK children and young people’s reading engagement in print and digital formats haschanged over time. As the National Year of Reading takes place in 2026, it alsoseeks to ensure that children and young people’s digital reading practices areneither undervalued nor overlooked. How this research was carried out The Annual Literacy Survey, conducted each year since 2010, collects informationabout children and young people’s reading, writing and listening, alongside theirhome learning environment and access to resources. Questions relating totechnology and digital reading have been included in the survey since 2005. Prior to 2017/