Finnish reading skills improve among preschoolers but decline in overall proficiency

More than half of Finnish children can read at least some words by the time they start school. Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen, a professor of education at the University of Jyväskylä, notes that children are learning to read at increasingly younger ages. In the 1960s, only one-sixth of children could read before starting school. Today, around one-third of new students can read quite fluently, while another third can read single words, leaving the remainder unable to read at all.

Lerkkanen attributes the changes in reading skills to the impact of preschool education. In 2014, Finland’s preschool curriculum was updated to include familiarization with letters and sounds, as well as reading readiness. Consequently, more children are learning to read during preschool.

However, a paradox exists as overall reading proficiency among Finns is reportedly declining. Lerkkanen explains that technical reading skills differ significantly from comprehensive text understanding. She notes that Finnish grammar’s consistency facilitates quicker learning compared to more complex languages like English.

Reading proficiency, in its simplest form, means the ability to recognize words, but using reading as a learning tool requires further effort. Home environment plays a crucial role in this development, according to Lerkkanen. Factors such as access to books and library visits are essential, whereas reliance on screens may hinder progress.

This decline in reading skills becomes evident in PISA results, which indicate that one in five ninth-graders has reading abilities too weak for success in society. Heidi Saukkola, a teacher at Turku’s Vasaramäki School, has observed these shifts, noting an increase in children who can read as school begins, but also a growing number who struggle to even recognize their names, presenting challenges for educators.