Adult literacy and enjoyment of literature are closely linked. According to the National Center on Education Statistics, a positive correlation exists between high education levels and good reading habits. This link persists, even when other factors that affect reading levels are considered. In 2002, for example, the center found that just 13 percent of males and 25 percent of females with less than a high school diploma read any literature. The figures rose to 58 and 76 percent, respectively, for males and females with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Many studies have documented the connection between poor reading skills and heavy TV viewing, which lacks the interactive quality of hearing stories read aloud, playing with toys or talking to parents. Sitting in front of a screen shortens a child's attention span and robs her of her ability to develop creative play habits, according to Judith Graham, a human development specialist for the University of Maine's Cooperative Extension Service. Heavy TV viewing interferes with proper language development. For this reason, parents are encouraged to curtail the practice.
Good reading habits begin early. Scientists have found that babies learn far more about sights and sounds around them than previously thought. Parents can maximize this quality by singing, smiling and talking regularly with their child. Children who hear and imitate sounds develop a love for language, making them more likely to become strong readers, according to the Department of Education. Parents also can ask about favorite activities or books, which encourages children to think as they speak.
Reading aloud is a powerful reinforcement to literacy. Explaining the meaning of certain pictures or passages shows how they connect and strengthens a child's love of books, the DOE says. While children are infants, parents can start reading to them for several minutes per day, which gives them space between play and sleep. Thirty minutes per day is considered desirable. To reach that goal, however, parents need to stop when children become restless or distracted. Otherwise, children may see reading as a burden rather than a pleasurable activity.