Parents 'bribing children to read'

Almost half of parents admit resorting to bribery to get their children to read, a survey suggests today.

Parents are using TV, the computer and sweets as incentives to encourage their offspring to open a book, according to a poll commissioned by education publishing firm Pearson.

It found that both teachers and parents believe that increased access to technology is turning children off reading, many young people being bored by books.

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The findings show that six in 10 parents (59.4 per cent) and more than eight in 10 teachers (85.4 per cent) believe children are more likely to log on to a computer than pick up a book.

More than half of parents (57.2 per cent) said they were concerned that digital media is replacing reading, while three in four (76.6 per cent) believe it is more difficult for their child to spend time learning to read, with all the other distractions available, than it was when they were growing up.

A third of parents (32.4 per cent) admit they only allow their child to watch TV or use the computer after reading.

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