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Gen Z's Reading Skills Decline: Professors Take Action

1/24/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A recent report highlights a decline in reading skills among Gen Z college students.
Professors nationwide have started reading texts aloud to students who struggle to comprehend written material.
Jessica Hooten Wilson of Pepperdine University notes many students cannot process sentences independently.
Northwestern University reports that up to half of its students identify as novice or reluctant readers, a trend attributed to social media and AI summaries.

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Story summary

A recent report highlights a decline in reading skills among Gen Z college students.
Professors nationwide have started reading texts aloud to students who struggle to comprehend written material.
Jessica Hooten Wilson of Pepperdine University notes many students cannot process sentences independently.
Northwestern University reports that up to half of its students identify as novice or reluctant readers, a trend attributed to social media and AI summaries.