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Poor education
In the academic universe of Brazilian teenagers, the preference for short texts has become evident.
According to an analysis of Pisa 2018 microdata, conducted by the Center for Research in Education, Interdisciplinarity and Evidence in Educational Debate (Iede) in collaboration with the reading platform Árvore, around 66.3% of students aged 15 and 16 they did not exceed the 10-page mark in their reading materials throughout the year.
The correlation between this preference for short texts and a decline in performance in core subjects like math and science is no coincidence.
In an interview with g1, Ernesto Martins Faria, executive director of Iede, highlights the absence of a culture of reading long texts in the Brazilian educational system as a contributing factor to this reality. Continue reading below and find out more details about the research.
Falling reading: challenges in the Brazilian educational system
Faria compares national and international reading exams, highlighting that, in the Brazilian context, assessments are often limited to fragments of texts.
This lack of familiarity with longer texts is reflected in the challenging results faced by Brazil in international assessments such as Pirls, which involve reading texts of 4 or 5 pages followed by a battery of questions.
Worrying data triggers warning signal
The study also reveals alarming numbers: only 9.5% of Brazilian students aged 15 and 16 ventured into readings of more than 100 pages in 2018, a rate substantially lower than those recorded in other Latin American countries, such as Chile (64% ), Argentina (25.4%) and Colombia (25.8%).
Countries recognized for their successful educational systems, such as Finland, have a higher level, reaching 72.8%.
Consequences of low reading rate
The correlation between reading volume and academic performance is clear and indisputable. Among students who limited themselves to one-page texts, only 6% reached level 3 in the general Pisa average, which assesses reading, mathematics and science.
In contrast, among those who dedicated themselves to more extensive reading, the rate jumped to 33%.
Despite these challenging numbers, the responses to the Pisa questionnaire suggest that young Brazilians see reading positively, with more than 40% saying they enjoy talking about books, both in the public and private schools, exceeding the average recorded by countries in Europe. OECD.
Unraveling the enigma of little reading
Given this scenario, several hypotheses emerge to explain the aversion to reading among young Brazilians. Issues such as low reading stimulation, cognitive difficulties and learning deficits are highlighted.
In Pisa 2018, 44.9% of participants admitted the need to reread a text several times to understand it. The lack of public libraries, especially in public schools, is also highlighted as a barrier.
The fruits of reading: proven benefits
Despite the challenges, studies cited by Iede indicate that reading has significant benefits.
Expanding vocabulary, expanding worldview, improving writing performance, gaining verbal fluency and general culture, understanding information in different formats and developing citizenship are some of the rewards that reading offers young students.
In this context, the urgency of cultivating a taste for reading from an early age becomes evident, not only as an academic skill, but as a fundamental tool for the integral development of young Brazilians.