January 15, 2026

How to Kill Kids’ Interest in Reading

Surveys reveal that fewer children and adults are reading for pleasure. This might be due partly to social media, but certain classroom strategies and school policies likely play a role. In this episode we come at the issue backwards: What would teachers do if their goal was to extinguish kids’ enthusiasm about books? Well, they would adopt a “fonix fetish” when teaching young children. They would require older students to read for a certain length of time — and keep a log to prove they complied. They would assign books rather than letting kids choose, test them on the content, and offer rewards for reading. These and other traditional practices are extremely effective…at leading kids to regard reading as an activity to be endured rather than enjoyed.

RESOURCES:

Jessica K. Bone et al., “The Decline in Reading for Pleasure Over 20 Years…,” iScience, 2025: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12496190/

Teresa Cremin, “Reading for Pleasure,” Language and Education, 2024: https://tinyurl.com/376jcra8

Katherine Marsh, “Why Kids Aren’t Falling in Love with Reading,” The Atlantic, March 2023: https://tinyurl.com/mrxyfdpd

Alfie Kohn, “A Closer Look at Reading Incentive Programs,” excerpt from Punished by Rewards (1993/2018): https://www.alfiekohn.org/article/reading-incentives/

For a list of sources debunking claims of the “Science of Reading” campaign about phonics instruction, see note 11 of A. Kohn, “The Siren Song of ‘Evidence-Based Instruction,” 2024: https://tinyurl.com/24nyam6y.

Seth A. Parsons & Joy Dangora Erickson, “Where Is Motivation in the Science of Reading?“, Phi Delta Kappan, 2024: https://tinyurl.com/mus7vn5p

Michael Becker et al., “Intrinsic and Extrinsic Reading Motivation as Predictors of Reading Literacy,” J of Educational Psych, 2010: https://tinyurl.com/3z34ctdd

Linda M. Pavonetti et al., “Accelerated Reader: What Are the Lasting Effects…?”, J of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 2002/2003: https://tinyurl.com/yj8dfnwb

Barbara A. Marinak & Linda B. Gambrell, “Intrinsic Motivation and Rewards,” Literacy Research & Instruction, 2008: https://tinyurl.com/2yc3zrjp

A note from Alfie Kohn:
I made two decisions when I decided to start this podcast. The first was not to accept ads. The second was to avoid putting certain episodes behind a paywall (or offering special content only to those who pay). But this means that I depend on the generosity of everyone who listens to help cover the production costs. So: Can you afford a modest contribution — ideally on a regular basis, since a podcast, after all, is not a one-shot event? If so, I’d be grateful if you’d support the project with whatever amount seems fair to you. (Your generosity will also confirm the thesis of my book The Brighter Side of Human Nature.)
Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please tell other people about it. And if you have feedback about an episode you’ve just listened to, send it to https://www.alfiekohn.org/contact-us/.