#Literacy

A surge of recent research and media reports has illuminated a worrisome trend: even as more young people enroll in university, many are struggling with basic reading and comprehension skills expected at the college level. The debate has intensified following the publication of several national surveys and firsthand accounts from professors across the United States, which paint a picture of declining literacy among today’s college students. This issue resonates far beyond American borders, carrying important implications for Thai higher education and the nation’s long-term competitiveness.

For many Thai parents juggling nightly bedtime routines, the request is all too familiar—a child insists on reading the same storybook over and over, sometimes for months on end. While the repetitive reading might leave adults exasperated, research reveals that such habits are immensely beneficial to a child’s development, laying crucial foundations for literacy, self-assurance, and emotional security.

Children’s attachment to routine—especially when it comes to storytelling—mirrors a fundamental need for predictability and control in a world mostly directed by adults. Developmental psychologist and author (as cited in Popular Science) emphasizes that the repetitive bedtime story is not just a soothing ritual; it provides cues for safety, connection, and learning. A comprehensive review published in 2020 synthesising 170 studies found that consistent routines, such as reading the same book, correlate positively with cognitive, emotional, social, and even physical health outcomes in children (Popular Science). For young readers, the ritual is also about exercise of agency—choosing their beloved book lets them feel empowered within family routines.

A recent wave of research and educator testimony is highlighting a troubling trend: Gen Z parents are reading less to their children, a shift that experts fear may have long-term consequences for childhood literacy and development. According to a survey commissioned by HarperCollins UK and reported by The Guardian, fewer than half of Gen Z parents described reading to their children as “fun for me,” while nearly a third see reading as “more of a subject to learn” rather than an enjoyable activity—a marked difference from previous generations (The Guardian).

A sweeping new meta-analysis conducted by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences has produced the most detailed map yet of the brain activity involved in reading, revealing distinct patterns of neural engagement for everything from individual letters to full texts. Summarizing findings from 163 previous studies, the review—recently published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews—offers a nuanced framework that could influence education strategies and interventions for reading difficulties worldwide, including in Thailand (medicalxpress.com).

A new meta-analysis by the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences offers the most detailed understanding to date of how our brains process written language—a development with profound implications for education, mental health, and addressing literacy challenges in Thailand and worldwide. Published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, the study summarizes decades of neuroscience research, analyzing data from 163 brain imaging studies to construct a highly detailed map of the brain regions activated during different types of reading tasks, from letters and words to sentences and passages.

A new study by neuroscientists has provided the most detailed picture yet of how children’s brains function differently when reading physical books compared to viewing stories on screens, with important implications for educational strategies in Thailand and worldwide. According to research highlighted in a recent PsyPost report, distinct neural responses are triggered in young children during traditional book reading versus screen-based engagement—a finding raising vital concerns as digital devices become ubiquitous in both homes and classrooms.