How to ignite and sustain the joy of reading?

17% of respondents to the Glowing Words survey think reading is really interesting and 48% think it is quite interesting. 

What happens when children and young people are allowed to tell us what they really like - or don't like - about reading? What happens when schools, parents and other adults stop offering only Egyptian Sinuhe, The Quintuplets and other holy classics of literary history, or their own childhood favourites, and open the door to contemporary literature, comics, rap and fan fiction?

Answer: the spark of reading. It is not sparked by compulsion or obligation, but by freedom and joy.

This spring's Word Art Week (17.3.-23.3.) once again gave visibility to art where words are at the heart of everything. For me, one of the highlights of the week was the Finnish Society for Word Art Education's Glowing Words webinar, which explored the opportunities and obstacles of reading and writing in the school curriculum.

"In our school, the books are so old that no one is interested"

A survey of schoolchildren carried out by the Glowing Words project gathered nearly a thousand responses from 4th and 9th graders across Finland. The results were striking: although most students read at least occasionally, only 17% described reading as something they really enjoy.

The reason often given was the age and variety of the books: old, dusty books do not appeal. Children want to read books that have something meaningful to them - books that reflect their own lives, their own language and their own interests.

When the freedom to choose the books that interest you is gone, motivation is gone.

"Really nice books and not just some Finlandia winners that no one really likes and that, for example, schools could influence what books are read", hoped one respondent to a school survey.

The good news is that the survey found that as many as 70% of respondents felt supported and encouraged to read. Still, many wanted more time and peace to read, less pressure. One open response specifically asked for "four times as much reading time".

Reading is more than a skill - it's a feeling

Speaking at the webinar, Lotta-Sofia La Rosa, a special expert from the Finnish National Board of Education, said that reading is not only a skill, but also a social and cultural experience. La Rosa presented the Reading School Programme, which supports schools in building a community-based, language-aware reading culture. It aims to

• reinforce a reading culture in the daily life of the school

• develop literacy support through collaboration between different disciplines

• create permanent structures to support reading in the school culture

• inspire and encourage schools to improve literacy systematically, in partnership with the whole school community.

The motivation to read is greatly influenced by the experiences a young person has with the texts. Is reading a moment to be oneself and immerse oneself in the story, or a performance after which one must be ready to answer questions immediately?

The Finnish National Board of Education's Literacy Programme and the National Literacy Strategy 2030 both emphasise the same thing: successful reading support requires a collaborative approach, everyday structures and pedagogical courage to try new things.

Nice places to read, such as reading rooms, would make reading more engaging, according to the Glowing Words survey.

The new generation reading habits: comics, social media and fan fiction

The traditional novel is no longer the reader's only option - nor does it need to be. Comics, gaming, audiobooks, blogs, spoken word and lavarunous are all part of a new literary landscape where reading is diverse.

According to the Glowing Words survey, 33% of young people read comics and 24% write a blog or diary. Social media is an important channel for receiving book tips: 36% of respondents said they received reading tips from social media.

This phenomenon is also supported by kirjasome: kirjatok, kirjagram and kirjatube have a strong influence on young people's reading habits. Reading is not a solitary hobby, but involves sharing, discussion and recommendation.

Fan fiction is a prime example. It is a community-based activity where young people write sequels, alternative storylines or completely new perspectives on characters from their favourite books. Fanfiction offers a low-threshold opportunity to write, experiment and publish your own texts.

For many young people, writing fan fiction is not only a creative outlet, but also an important space for self-expression and community. Writers can explore identity, gender, body and other personal themes in a safe, supportive environment. Fan fiction forums bring together thousands of writers for whom the most important thing is not readership but connecting with other readers and writers who share the same passion. Fanfiction is also a way to develop as a writer and test your limits.

It is clear that future literacy will not only be based on books, but also on different ways of encountering text. Drama, games, media and word art will add to the experience of reading. One way to bring reading to life is the Reading Theatre method, where pupils read aloud and play roles, without having to memorise lines.

Or what if a student made a book trailer or a book tip for a video? When a child or young person gets involved and shares their views, literature starts to feel like their own. It's no longer just something written by someone else, but something they can leave their own mark on. In other words, stories come alive when you can participate in them. Young readers don't just read - they create, edit and publish. That, if anything, is active reading.

"Maybe more time for reading when there is no pressure to do anything else"

What kind of reading and writing activities should be more available to get children and young people interested in the subject? The Glowing Words survey reveals a clear wish list of school children. They want reading houses, reading buddies, games, library visits, book challenges, book tips, more books on display and above all: time. Not assignments or tests, but time.

Children's word art projects have also repeatedly shown that having your own book can be a really meaningful thing for a child. For example, in the Children's Poetry Revolution project, which was part of Kirsi Kunnas's centenary year, every first-grader in 2024 was given a copy of a book. The magic hat of Haitula -and it was the fact that the book was their own and not borrowed that made it special. When the book is in your own backpack, you have a completely different relationship with it: it can travel and grow with your child.

On the other hand, your own book can also be your own work: a story written and perhaps illustrated by a child, printed as a booklet or published as a digital book. Such experiences, which are common in many word art workshops, make children feel proud of their own words. When the text comes out of their own heads and becomes something visible, the literature starts to feel like their own, not just someone else's story.

What can we learn?

In the Glowing Words survey, students said that the most inspiring reading moments at school for them were making cartoons in art lessons, library visits, writing creative texts and book tips. In other words, when reading and writing are brought into everyday life, it becomes meaningful and fun.

Indeed, one of the key messages is that literacy is not built alone. You need community, space to experiment, time to immerse yourself and, above all, listening. Children and young people themselves know what makes them tick. It is up to us adults to listen and believe them.