Reading for pleasure: an intrinsic motivator to achieve academic success

Reading for pleasure refers to the child’s ability to freely choose a time to read because they actually enjoy reading rather than being forced to read in fear of punishment, or choosing to read in exchange for a reward. When a child reads for pleasure, he/she actually falls in love with the book and gets immersed in the world of the books. Reading for pleasure is a lasting kind of reading, this is the goal for every child reader. 

Primary school teachers encourage reading for pleasure in young children because of the many benefits it brings to the child. In fact, in recent studies, reading for pleasure has been found to come in many forms, and each of its forms has its own distinct benefit. 

Play pleasure is described as being “lost in a book”. This type of reading for pleasure is the prerequisite so the reader enjoys the other forms of pleasure in reading. Recognizing oneself as being “part of the story” is an important element in the process of building a lasting love for reading. It’s also important for the parent and educator to choose the right books for the child. Ownership of the text is an important element in perceiving oneself as a reader (Dymore and Griffiths, 2010). Choose books that the child can relate to like a personalised book that features your child as the hero of the story. 

Intrinsic motivation refers to the form of motivation wherein a person does an activity because he/she actually enjoys it rather than for a separate benefit, gain, or reward. Reading for pleasure is an intrinsic motivator to achieve academic success. Reading brings a multitude of benefits to the reader, not just intellectually, but also emotionally, and mentally. When a child builds a love for reading and actually reads for pleasure, it is inevitable that he/she will also gain the benefits that reading brings. For example, a child who reads has a wider vocabulary than his peers who don’t read. Moreover, readers are also better thinkers and are more emotionally intelligent and resilient because of the diverse characters that they meet in the written world. 

The life-long benefits of reading for pleasure 

Reading brings wonderful benefits to the reader, reading for pleasure brings a vast knowledge of people, places, and the world– it can only be attained when a person reads. Reading for pleasure is actually reading for success. When your child learns to read for pleasure while they are young, they are more likely to have a better chance of achieving higher grades in school which will equip them later on in life. 

One of the key benefits of reading for pleasure is that it promotes intellectual pleasure. Intellectual pleasure happens when a reader actively participates in deciphering what is being said and how texts have been written to communicate intended meanings and effects. It develops deep understanding and proactivity! 

Another benefit of reading for pleasure is a social pleasure. This kind of pleasure happens when the reader explores and stakes out their identity in order to relate to writers, characters, other readers, and oneself. 

Work pleasure is also another benefit of reading for pleasure, it is ​​when the reader creates a tool for accomplishing something practical; this fosters the use of these tactics and ideas in real life. Related to work pleasure is inner work pleasure is when the reader imagines herself living the story and thinks about the kind of person she wants to be, how she can relate to something bigger, or how she can work to become someone more.

Reading is an essential part of success. It bridges learning gaps and gives knowledge and learning benefits that can only be achieved through reading. Getting your child into the habit of reading equips them with the demands of the world. It gives your child the advantage in school which they will carry with them for the rest of their life. Reading for pleasure is an intrinsic motivator for academic and life success!