A/P Loh Chin Ee discusses whether incentives can build lasting reading habits

Singapore’s new national reading campaign has attracted international attention for offering small rewards to encourage peoutes a day.

Associate Professor Loh Chin Ee, Associate Dean (Impact and Partnerships) at NIE’s Office for Research and an academic with the English Language and Literature Department, was interviewed by ABC Asia Pacific Newsroom about the initiative and whether incentives can help people develop sustainable reading habits.

Launched by Singapore’s National Library Board, the five-year ReadSG movement uses gamification to make reading a regular part of everyday life. Participants can record qualifying reading sessions and earn virtual coins, with a 15-minute session earning 20 coins. The scheme is intended as a small behavioural nudge rather than a significant financial reward.

The ABC segment, presented by Angelica Silva, examined whether incentives can motivate people to read more regularly and whether a similar approach could work in Australia. It also considered a broader challenge facing many societies: how to encourage sustained reading amid the growing dominance of short-form digital content.

A/P Loh’s research focuses on literacy and equity, particularly adolescent reading, school libraries and the reading practices of young people. Her work examines how schools, families and communities can create environments that support meaningful and sustained engagement with reading.

The interview highlights how Singapore’s campaign could offer insights for other countries seeking to strengthen their reading cultures. While incentives may encourage people to begin reading, the longer-term measure of success will be whether the activity develops into an intrinsically motivated and lasting habit.

Watch the interview on ABC Asia Pacific Newsroom here.