Why English class makes us hate reading
By Ava Bourdeau, Staff Writer
When I was in fifth grade, our class took a Lexile reading level exam in the fall. We were told this test would be used to measure our growth throughout the year. I, as well as several other students, scored above average on the test. Based on our scores, a list of recommended reading was given to us, which I completely ignored, choosing my books based on how much I enjoyed them. However, the next time we took the test, my reading level had gone down by several points. This terrified me, and also irked my teacher, who pushed me to read more books that would keep my level high. For the next few months, I only read the densest literary tomes I could manage, desperately fearing that more accessible literature would somehow turn my brain to jello. By the end of the year I was excited to see my level go up. This happiness was short-lived though, as for the next two years I couldn’t enjoy a book without worrying that it would fracture my aptitude. Reading was no longer a fun hobby- rather it was a skill, a knife I had to painstakingly sharpen.
I’m not the only student who’s disillusionment with reading can be attributed to school. Beloved books such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings serve as a valuable form of escapism for many. Any book lover can agree that there are few feelings as pleasurable as getting lost in an intricately woven story. Whether the conflict involves fantastical creatures or realistic stressers, books allow us to temporarily transcend reality and experience a life outside of our own.
Taking this into consideration, it seems only fitting that schools would try and foster a love of reading within their students. Sadly, the average English curriculum often leads to the opposite. Current English education often centers around shoving dense literature down students’ throats. While works such as The Scarlet Letter and Candide are often regarded as some of the greatest written pieces of art, stories of adultery and optimistic thought aren’t typically enticing to teenagers who already spend hours each day analyzing and rationalizing. Books could serve as a wonderful escape from the day-to-day routine of school, but instead assigned reading just adds to the drudgery. Even Samo’s own Dr. Antonio Shelton admits that required reading is difficult to stay on top of.
“I get it, if you told me to read something I would wait until the week before school starts to read it,” Shelton said.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe classic novels can be extraordinarily enjoyable. What makes liking assigned reading so difficult is that students are practically prevented from losing themselves in the story. Instead, we are expected to analyze and pick apart every detail in the novel, from the author’s diction to the main character’s eye color. Being required to take these extra factors into consideration pulls many out of the story, turning the focus to finding some “deeper meaning” that we’ll be forced to write an essay on.
While deeper thinking and understanding are important skills to develop, excessive analysis leads many students to dread picking up a book. In fact, according to a 2017 study, a third of high schoolers and 42 percent of college students won’t read another book after graduating. Imagine how much lower these numbers could be if schools actively encouraged a love of reading beyond elementary school. How many of us have sat through an English class where the only students who participate are the minority who read the assigned chapters? Avoiding assigned reading shouldn’t be so normalized, yet it remains disturbingly common. It’s very difficult to blame this on teenage laziness when even overachieving students feel reluctant to complete the chapter of the week. The growing epidemic that is SparkNoting the material has led to students to lose more than they would gain from required reading.
“If I was an author of a book and you read the SparkNotes, I would be insulted… you’re missing some of the key pieces that build up to the main parts,” Shelton said.
Instead of only assigning thick, wordy volumes (most often written by dead white men), schools should suggest books that foster a love of reading in students. While works such as The Hunger Games may not have the most advanced diction, they have turned many young people into avid bookworms, while also dealing with issues of conformity, leadership and identity. There are so many great books out there, thus there’s no reason why students shouldn’t be allowed to choose what they read. While valuable lessons can be learned from classic literature, there are other ways to implement these themes and skills into the English curriculum. It’s far more important that students find themselves wanting to pick up a fast-paced fantasy novel than perfunctorily trudging through a classic tome.