When was the last time you saw a young person pick up and a read a book?

In a modern society where everyone is addicted to their devices, it’s become a rare sight.

Recent studies show nearly 40% of Australian kids own 10 books or fewer and experts say the main reason is that they just can’t read.

Close to 30% of 15-year-olds are achieving baseline standards in reading, maths and science.

Earlier this week the Australian College of Educators and the Centre for Independent Studies organised a debate for educators to discuss how to teach literacy to our kids.

It comes as the federal government moves to introduce mandatory phonics checks for year one students.

Phonics is a method of teaching kids to read by linking sounds to the symbols that represent them.

The centre’s Jennifer Buckingham tells Chris Smith the results are “appalling”.

She says for children to have spent nine to 10 years in full-time school and then “get to the end of that process and not have that fundamental skill, is appalling”.

Ms Buckingham says she hopes schools implement phonics methods into teaching, saying “it’s essential”.

“Phonics has an enormous amount of evidence supporting it.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview