Student reading declining amid growing digital entertainment, teachers say

SHAH ALAM - The decline in student reading habits in Malaysia can be largely attributed to the growing allure of digital entertainment.

As smartphones, social media and streaming platforms dominated young people’s attention, traditional reading struggled to compete.

This shift in focus was reshaping the way students engage with information, prompting concerns over the future of literacy and critical thinking in an increasingly screen-driven world.

Bahasa Malaysia teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan Felda Lepar Utara 1, Nurul Afifah Rahim, said the decline in reading habits among students was due to the rise of modern technology.

While recognising the significance of technology, she advocated the necessity of physical books, especially for young children and students.

"Both physical and digital books are necessary in this day and age.

"The importance of physical books in nurturing reading habits among students is due to their ability to directly interact with the book.

"The negative effects of digital books or e-reading can already be seen with children as young as five or six needing to wear glasses, highlighting the importance of physical books.

"While my students enjoy both physical and digital books, I ensure they are exposed to both mediums to prevent any future "culture shock" with digital platforms," she said.

Afifah also applied this approach at home with her seven-year-old child.

The artificial intelligence (AI) in digital reading materials, which can "read out loud" was very helpful as her child received immediate feedback from the AI.

"For physical books, I listen to my child read, observe their pronunciation and their reading methods.

"Personally for my child, I prefer physical books over digital ones," she added.

Similarly, a science teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan Felda Lepar Utara 8, Muhammad Azreen Mohd Salleh expressed concern over the impact of social media on students' reading habits.

He said this generation was more inclined towards entertainment and modern technological developments in social media, which were more entertainment-focused, like TikTok, where such applications were easily accessible.

"So, students enjoy spending time on social media, making reading seem dull and this interest automatically declines," he said.

Azreen added that while technology should not be off-limits, there must be a balance to ensure students do not become overly attached to screens, neglecting physical books.

"Even though students today prefer digital media, we still need to guide them and nurture a habit of reading physical books because technology advances rapidly.

"The gadgets and technology we have today might not even exist in the future, as new technologies might emerge.

"Physical books have a certain identity; they withstand time, from the past until now, despite the rapid pace of modernisation," he added.

Azreen also urged parents to balance physical and digital reading for their children, highlighting the importance of parental control over screen time to ensure a healthy approach to reading in the digital age.

Both teachers agreed that discipline and time management were essential in fostering reading habits, especially with digital reading options.