Reading habits in secondary education: an analysis of topics, genres, formats, and reading engagement in the digital age

Abstract

This study analyzes the reading habits and practices of 142 secondary school students in Chile using a closed-ended questionnaire. The independent variables considered were sex, the School Vulnerability Index (IVE), and SIMCE reading scores. The dependent variables examined included reading frequency, diversity of genres and topics, preferred reading format, and self-reported interest in reading. The study is grounded in the framework of critical literacy (Cassany, 2009), a perspective that conceptualizes reading as a situated, socially shared practice. This approach enables an examination of how adolescents engage with reading in the digital age, moving beyond a view focused solely on reading performance.

The study engages with research that documents a progressive decline in reading among secondary students, reflected both in the loss of reading habits acquired in childhood (Hernández, 2021) and in the low scores that Chilean students obtain on standardized assessments such as SIMCE and PISA (Chilean Education Quality Agency, 2024; OECD, 2023). Sociocultural approaches that explain reading dispositions in terms of habitus and cultural capital (Bourdieu, 2009; Merino, 2011) are also considered, highlighting the influence of family and school environments, as well as the role of emotions and prior reading experiences (Gambrell, 2015; Gómez et al., 2025). From this perspective, the need for schools to understand students’ actual interests (González, 2022) and to incorporate contemporary pedagogical approaches—such as transmedia storytelling—that diversify access to literary works and enhance reading motivation is underscored (Rovira-Collado, 2019; Ballester Roca & Méndez Cabrera, 2021).

The results indicate that the School Vulnerability Index does not account for significant differences in reading habits, calling into question its relevance as an indicator of cultural practices related to reading. In contrast, SIMCE performance emerges as the most relevant variable for understanding differences in reading frequency and diversity, suggesting that formally assessed reading skills exert greater influence than structural vulnerability. Regarding gender, no significant differences were observed in reading frequency or genre diversity; however, female students reported a stronger preference for digital reading formats and a tendency to report greater genre diversity, whereas male students reported greater thematic diversity. These findings suggest that digital technologies broaden reading opportunities, particularly when aligned with students’ personal interests.

The study concludes that reading constitutes a situated and transferable practice that requires time, institutional commitment, and effective teacher mediation to be strengthened. From a critical literacy perspective, this implies the need to promote contextualized pedagogical strategies, integrate digital technologies, and acknowledge non-traditional reading spaces especially those that emerge outside the classroom. Finally, the findings challenge the widespread notion that adolescents do not read, demonstrating instead that they do, although often in formats and contexts not fully recognized or valued by schools. Consequently, it is essential to promote critical literacy practices that incorporate digital technologies and transmedia narratives to foster meaningful and socially relevant reading experiences.