Building Readers for Life
Why reading for pleasure is essential to long-term literacy success.
Most educators share the same goal: pupils and students who can read confidently—and who choose to read, often and with pleasure.
But helping children “crack the code” is only part of the challenge. Lasting literacy success depends on more than strong instruction alone. It also requires building the confidence, habits and motivation that turn reading into a lifelong skill.
In this research-informed article, literacy expert Lynne Kulich, PhD, explores why reading enjoyment isn’t simply a “nice-to-have”—it’s a critical driver of reading volume, stamina and long-term literacy development. Discover practical, evidence-informed strategies schools can use to strengthen both reading achievement and reading engagement.
In this free article, you’ll learn how to:
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Understand why reading achievement and reading enjoyment are deeply interconnected.
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Build strong literacy foundations through explicit, evidence-based instruction.
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Increase students’ reading volume by creating meaningful opportunities to read.
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Foster lifelong reading habits through consistent access, routines and engaging texts.
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Encourage deeper thinking with less scrolling and more “time in text.”
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Support stronger literacy outcomes with practical strategies that can be implemented across the school.
