Ministers have been urged to incorporate audiobooks into England’s new schools curriculum, following concerns over declining levels of reading for pleasure among children and a rise in the popularity of audio formats.
Research by the National Literacy Trust (NLT) has revealed that children’s enjoyment of listening to audio and podcasts has overtaken their enjoyment of reading for the first time since the charity began tracking this data in 2020. The findings suggest a growing preference for listening to content in leisure time rather than reading traditional books.
In a poll of over 37,000 children and young people aged between 8 and 18, conducted in 2024, 42.3% said they enjoyed listening to audio in their free time, a slight increase from 39.4% in 2023. Meanwhile, just 34.6% of the respondents reported that they enjoyed reading in their spare time. The NLT described the drop in reading for pleasure as being at “crisis” levels, especially among boys, with a notable gender gap. Only 28.2% of boys said they enjoyed reading for leisure, compared to 40.5% of girls.
However, the study showed that audio formats had a more significant impact on boys, with 43.4% of boys saying they enjoyed listening to audio, compared to 40.4% of girls. The NLT is now advocating for the inclusion of audiobooks and podcasts as part of the wider range of reading formats offered to students in schools.
Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the NLT, emphasized the benefits of audiobooks, noting that they can spark a love for reading, improve literacy development, and support overall well-being. “By embracing children’s growing enthusiasm for audio, we have the opportunity to inspire a new generation of readers and address the country’s ongoing reading crisis,” he said.
Despite the support from literacy advocates, some critics argue that audiobooks should not replace traditional reading. John Mullan, a professor of English at University College London, expressed that while audiobooks can be enjoyable and beneficial, they should not be seen as substitutes for actual reading. “An audiobook is unresponsive and implacable. There’s no exchange or rapport, however well it’s read,” he said. Mullan pointed out that listening is a passive activity, unlike reading, which actively engages a person’s imagination.
Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England and former headteacher, also supported the idea of audiobooks but maintained that they should complement, rather than replace, traditional reading. “I love listening to audiobooks, and if that gives kids access to great literature, I support it. But reading a book in the traditional sense offers something special that audiobooks can’t replicate.”
As the government prepares to release an interim report on its review of the curriculum and assessment, educators are calling for greater emphasis on fostering literacy skills that will serve students throughout their lives. Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at the NAHT school leaders’ union, argued that encouraging a love for reading should remain central to the curriculum. “Harnessing children’s enjoyment of listening is one way to support this, but it should go hand-in-hand with efforts to nurture a passion for reading,” she said.
Julie McCulloch, director of strategy and policy at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), also recognized the potential for using audio formats in schools, adding that it could help foster a deeper appreciation for literature. “There is certainly potential in using audio formats to encourage a love of reading, alongside all the efforts that schools are already making to teach children to read and write,” she noted.
With the growing popularity of audiobooks and podcasts among young people, there is increasing support for integrating these formats into the educational system. Whether audiobooks will be formally included in the curriculum, however, remains to be seen as the government continues to review its approach to education.
Stay tuned to London Pulse News for further updates on this story and developments in education policy, as the debate over incorporating audiobooks into the school curriculum continues to unfold.
