Teen Reading Falls to Its Lowest Level This Century as Screen Time Rises

Teenagers are reading at their lowest level this century, according to new international education data, raising fresh concerns about reading habits, comprehension and the growing role of screens in children’s lives.

The latest PISA assessment from the OECD, released Tuesday, tested about 760,000 15-year-olds across 91 countries and economies. Reading, mathematics and science scores all reached their lowest levels since international PISA data began in 2000.

Reading performance has fallen particularly sharply. The average reading score dropped from 501 in 2012 to 466 in 2025. Reuters reported that students were, on average, reading at a level previously associated with students about a year younger.

Screen Time and Reading Habits

The OECD linked weaker reading results with more screen time and less reading for pleasure. Researchers also observed that students are increasingly rushing through texts instead of reading carefully, which can lead to incorrect answers and weaker comprehension.

The findings do not mean that digital devices are necessarily harmful to learning. The OECD noted that technology can support education when used appropriately. However, performance began to decline when students reported spending more than about five hours a day on digital devices.

Why Reading Still Matters

For children, reading is about more than finishing books. Strong reading skills help students understand information, follow complex ideas, build vocabulary and communicate clearly.

Reading also supports writing. Children who regularly encounter different sentence structures, vocabulary and perspectives have more opportunities to develop their own language skills.

For children learning a second language, reading can be especially valuable. A story in another language can introduce vocabulary in context, while also exposing children to cultural references, expressions and ways of thinking that are difficult to learn through memorization alone.

The findings also highlight the importance of giving children consistent opportunities to strengthen their English reading and communication skills. For parents looking for structured support beyond the classroom, an English learning program can provide additional opportunities to practice reading, comprehension and communication in a guided environment.

What Can Parents Do?

The new findings do not suggest that children simply need to read more pages. Parents can instead focus on helping children read regularly, slow down and understand what they are reading.

A few simple habits can help:

• Set aside regular screen-free reading time.
• Let children choose books that genuinely interest them.
• Ask questions about the story rather than simply checking whether they finished it.
• Encourage children to explain unfamiliar words in their own words.
• For children learning another language, combine reading with conversation and cultural activities.

The PISA results offer a warning, but they also highlight an opportunity: helping children become curious, patient and confident readers may be more important than ever in a world filled with fast-moving digital information.

carol xiang