Shakespeare, Dickens, JK Rowling: Britain’s literary heritage is undisputable. Creativity, emotional depth and universal values have ensured that Hamlet, Oliver Twist and Harry Potter are familiar to school children (and grown-ups) around the world. While other pillars of the proud national legacy – the BBC, the army, the NHS – have crumbled around us, we could still take pride in our peerless literary canon.
No longer. The National Literacy Trust, the very institution that should be protecting our literary heritage, is encouraging us to replace reading with audio. They have launched a campaign, #GrowAGenerationOfReaders, that risks pushing teachers and parents to supplant ‘traditional reading’ with audio. ‘Just one in three children and young people say they enjoy reading. But two in five say they enjoy audio.’ The charity’s hand-wringing sends out a clear message: as children are no longer in the habit of reading, let’s give up on books and grab airpods instead.
Literacy is in our cultural DNA
Teachers will confirm that schoolchildren are coming to school so unfamiliar with books, they will swipe, rather than turn, pages.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in