The decline of reading comprehension among students

One of the leading issues in the modern era is the gradual decline of reading comprehension among us, students—that is, the gradual decrease in a student's ability to understand, interpret, and analyze what they read. In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, the act of picking up and reading a book seems to have dulled and stereotyped to our grandparents. Students nowadays usually skim through the content of the text to find quick and easy answers or responses. We can already see the effects of these, as even some grade ten junior high school students struggle to read simple words. Young people back then had no problem with it.

The fact is that with the rise of social media, instant messaging, and artificial intelligence (AI), the average student's attention span in topics such as those discussed at schools has dramatically shrunk more than ever before. Gone are the days when people gathered around in their free time to read books with their friends and share their favorite authors or the current chapters they're reading in a book. Instead, students now endlessly scroll through their TikTok or Facebook feeds, and because of that, their attention span is slowly decreasing as the short form content blast them with entertainment in a short period of time. Studies show that people now tend to read to respond, not to understand. A quick glance at a text is often enough to warrant a reaction, even if they don't fully grasp the actual context of the words.

Reading comprehension is an essential skill often overlooked in modern society. It involves drawing connections, making references, and thinking critically. The consequences of this shift of routine are significant, as without proper comprehension, many students struggle to follow simple instructions, analyze information, and make informed decisions. Many details are skipped because the students are skimming through pages, trying to process information that is only partially complete, like trying a new recipe but forgetting to bring the main ingredient. It lacks the very key that finishes it completely.

To reverse this trend, we, students, must start valuing deep reading and critical thinking once again: things like encouraging our peers to read daily, build their vocabulary through word exercises and constant learning, limit distractions (e.g., screen time), develop critical thinking and connections, and push the implementation of such programs. If more students are used to the basics, then we can start integrating more difficult words. In this way, students are not overwhelmed by big words but are slowly integrating them to their vocabulary.

The decline of reading comprehension and the rise to a more technological era are serious concerns that deserve our attention. Students need to stop reading to respond and start reading to understand. Then we can hope to cultivate the thinking skills necessary to navigate an information-rich world.

As students, let us make an effort in preserving our minds by deepening our reading skills. The more we practice it, the more we will be able to engage with the world more thoughtfully.