What is Reading?

What do you consider reading? Sitting down with a good book? Relaxing on the living room couch with your morning newspaper and a steaming hot cup of coffee? Or maybe it’s the Sunday comics, or a favorite magazine, or perhaps something you’ve found in your research on the computer?

Probably … all of the above, and more.

I bet you never thought of texting. But kids 9-17 do. According to Scholastic’s Kids & Family Reading Report, one-fourth (25%) of the kids they talked to say texting back and forth with friends counts as reading. (OMG! RTSS NNWW)

How about social networking postings or comments (i.e., Twitter, Facebook, MySpace)? Even more kids (28%) consider THAT reading.

More than half consider looking for information online reading (55%). I can live with that.

The good news is, nearly 4 out of 10 said texting, social network posting/commenting, and online research are NOT considered reading.