Some Surprising Benefits of Reading for Teens
- jaybirdauthor
- Mar 12
- 2 min read
It’s no surprise that teens who read regularly are less likely to struggle in English. Reading is the cornerstone of solid literacy and language skills and while the academic benefits of reading are fascinating, today I wish to discuss some of the other unexpected benefits reading fiction has for teens.
Self Discovery & Personal Development
Connecting with fictional characters exposes teen readers to new ways of looking at the world. Fiction introduces teens to different values, beliefs, and ways of thinking and responding. It provides a place where teens can explore different identities without real-life repercussions. This immersion into story allows for an expansion of identity. A character’s thoughts, feelings and experiences can become so real for a reader that these have the power to change their perceptions and lead to personal development. But reading doesn’t just shape personal identity—it also helps teens understand others and this is a surprising benefit.
The Development of Social Awareness
Putting yourself into someone else’s shoes is precisely what happens when teens read. As they imagine what someone else is saying, doing, thinking and feeling, they are opening the doorway to developing empathy for others. Research has indicated that interpersonal skills are positively enhanced by regular reading experiences where teenagers are exposed to positive characters.
Mental Wellbeing
The teenage years can really suck – there is so much pressure and it’s the time for great identity changes. Escaping into the pages of fiction helps teens to let go of the real-world for a time being – to put it on the shelf instead of the book. Reading relaxes, comforts and of course, entertains. This is extraordinarily beneficial to mental wellbeing.
From personal experience, I know how much reading helped me as a teenager. I learnt many life lessons from the trials and tribulations my character’s experienced. I also relied upon the escapism that books afforded. Reading is something that stands out as a constant through my childhood and teenage years and I don’t think it was any surprise that I did so well in English.
Reading doesn’t just shape better students—it shapes better humans. Let’s encourage teens to pick up a book and experience these benefits firsthand!
Are you a teacher who sees the difference between readers and non-readers in your secondary classrooms? Are you a parent who values reading and ensures their teen has opportunities to access books? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic.
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