Literacy expert warns of 'very serious' decline in Icelandic students' reading skills

A leading Icelandic literacy expert has sounded the alarm over a critical decline in reading comprehension among students, warning it poses a fundamental threat to the nation's cultural heritage. Sigríður Ólafsdóttir, a specialist in literacy, described the situation as "very serious."

Ólafsdóttir pointed to a noticeable decrease in the reading of foundational Icelandic literary works, such as the medieval saga "Njála" and novels by Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness, as a symptom of a broader problem within the education system. This issue, she explained, begins as early as preschool.

"As long as we do not ensure that teachers, both at the preschool and primary school levels, have the conditions and prerequisites to provide children and young people with language and literacy-promoting schoolwork, a group of upper secondary school students will not be able to tackle the Icelandic literature of earlier centuries in upper secondary school," Ólafsdóttir stated.

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As long as we do not ensure that teachers, both at the preschool and primary school levels, have the conditions and prerequisites to provide children and young people with language and literacy-promoting schoolwork, a group of upper secondary school students will not be able to tackle the Icelandic literature of earlier centuries in upper secondary school.

She stressed the profound implications for national identity, asserting, "This is also a fundamental issue for the Icelandic nation, that the people of the country can read our literature, because otherwise we are simply in a very bad place."

The expert's concerns highlight a growing challenge in maintaining engagement with national literature and ensuring that future generations can connect with their cultural roots through reading.

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This is also a fundamental issue for the Icelandic nation, that the people of the country can read our literature, because otherwise we are simply in a very bad place.