John Jerrim|Gemma Moss
The link between fiction and teenagers’ reading skills: International evidence from the OECD PISA study
University College London|University College London
abstract well known children read tend achieve higher scores academic reading tests much less known however link reading different types text young peoples reading performance investigate issue using programme international student assessment pisa 2009 database exploring association frequency teenagers read five different types text magazines nonfiction fiction newspapers comics pisa reading scores analysing data 250000 teenagers across 35 industrialised countries find evidence sizeable fiction effect young people read type text frequently significantly stronger reading skills peers contrast hold true four text types therefore conclude encouraging young people read fiction may particularly beneficial reading skills interventions encouraging fiction reading may especially important boys disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds less likely read text type