The Swedish National Agency for Education has investigated how students' reading and reading-comprehension skills have developed over a twenty-year period between 2001 and 2021. The agency followed up on the international PIRLS survey, which measures the reading ability of fourth graders.
Greater differences between students
Even though reading has declined, Swedish students still perform relatively well in international comparisons. What stands out is that the gap between the highest- and lowest-performing students has widened, meaning Sweden has the largest gap in the Nordic region.
However, schools with a high proportion of students with fewer economic, cultural and social resources have more students who do not reach basic levels of reading comprehension. These schools have also seen the greatest decline in reading comprehension scores over time.
Sepideh Westerberg at the Swedish National Agency for Education mentions staffed school libraries and teachers with strong expertise as measures to improve reading.
It is also important that there are other reading-promoting environments at school in addition to the school library. There should be good access to different types of texts and books even during breaks, and the potential of the after-school center should be used. We also highlight the role of preschool and how important reading aloud is.
Since the measurement period, several reforms have been introduced that may affect future results, according to the Swedish National Agency for Education.
Fewer books at home
In addition to school reading, reading outside school is also decreasing. In a survey included in the study, guardians said they have fewer books at home and visit the library with their children less often. Guardians themselves are also reading less. The decline in leisure-time reading applies across socio-economic groups.
The loss is greater among students with stronger socio-economic conditions. It shows that reading is declining on a broad front. It is worrying. It is primarily the school's responsibility to work with reading, but it is clear that when factors promoting reading outside the school deteriorate, it affects the whole, says Sepideh Westerberg.
In the study, the Swedish National Agency for Education monitors how the opportunity to develop reading skills among students has changed during the period 2001 to 2021.
The study followed up on the international survey PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study), which measures the reading ability of fourth graders.
Number of hours spent teaching reading and/or reading activities during a typical school week:
2001: 4.20 hours
2011: 4.20 hours
2016: 2.85 hours
2021: 3.12 hours
Source: Swedish National Agency for Education
