The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) recent published a report (To Read or Not to Read- a whopping 98 pages in length) and the statistics that they discuss can be viewed as disturbing or are they?
Read the blogs that I have read and decide.
Stephen Krashen- His take on the meaning of the findings of the study
John Schaff- What it means for SD
JBD- What this means for education
Ted and Ian- What the study did not take into account
So should the educator, the student, the administrator or the parent put much weigh on this issue? Is America reading less or is what America reading changing?
15 comments:
High Schoolers ARE NOT reading enough. For someones vocabulary and writing skills to go up it helps to read. So many students today are so busy with other things that they cant find time to read or they just dont want to. I am kind of weird and really really like reading a good book. There are some students like me to and their vocab is usually high and writing skills are good. The schools really should find some way to increase reading. Yet there are so many things to cheat your way from reading like amazon.com, sparknotes, google, wikipedia, and other search sources. So some students try the easy way out and just use that to save time. Now at a young age in elementary reading is getting pushed. My sister and some of her 3rd grade classmates have up to a 4, 5, or 6 grade reading level even higher. Think about it, what will happen to some of the great writers if we do not increase the reading levels of high schoolers.
I think younger America is replacing reading books with watching T.V. Our grandparents grew up reading books instead of sitting in front of the T.V. every night and because of that they have learned so much about the world. With reading, it allows your mind to work and to create mental pictures of what you read--it fosters imagination--, and with T.V., it is doing all the work for you, not stimulating your brain nearly as much as reading would. What America is reading is changing--today teens and kids enjoy reading magazines and things like that, but I think some of the reason is because we don't always have the time to focus on reading a novel, and at the end of the day we are tired and just want to sit down and not do anything that requires thinking.
I focus so much on other aspects of my life that I don't feel that I have enough time to sit down and read the extremely long list of books that I have made for myself. I like to read, depending on the material, of course, but I put it on the back burner most of the time. I also feel that laziness could have something to do with it. With the amount of school work I do each night, the first thing on my mind when I finish is not to continue what I have been doing, even if it is just for leisure. Whenever I show my family members the lists of books that we are allowed to read for classes, we always end up in a deep discussion about those books and numerous others that are outstanding must-reads. I wish that I could read all of these books, and I feel like I have somehow gotten behind in that way. It seems just as quickly as this becomes a priority, something else comes up. I think the reason that reading materials are being chosen differently is just laziness; so what if a magazine is easier to understand than a book? It is all about what you gain from it, despite the length. It is overwhelming to think about the time it will take to accomplish those reading goals, but it is also amazing to consider how much information is available and how many unique and mind-boggling ideas are contained in them. I am promising myself right now that I will work to read more and develope my own collection of knowledge from the countless books that I have read and will continue to read through life.
I believe students of this age are finding a new way to read whether it be through magazines, newspapers, or even listening to things on CD or on TV. I was never really interested in reading much earlier this year, but I found it relaxing and I actually enjoy it now. Before I never liked to read simply because I never had time, but I think from now on I am going to make time to read. I think educators should enforce reading because it's a vital part of learning; if you don't read, it's more difficult to write-the more you read the easier writing becomes for yourself.
No way are we reading enough. Almost every single job requires you to be able to read fluently, and some kids get out of high school with a 4th grade reading level. Unacceptable is what comes to mind. Think where America would be if we would have had TV 100 years ago. There would have been less advances in technology because instead of reading, kids back then would have done the same thing the majority of kids now do; sit on their butts and watch TV. Just think if we had no writers in the future, what would our world come to? I dont even want to think about it.
Seems to me that a lack of time and too much television are the two factors that seem to limit the amount of reading teens are doing. I love all you comments, especially Brooke's about where we as a coutnry wouldbe in TV would have been around 100 years ago. I, too, don't want to think aobut it.
I agree with Jamie/Lizzie that today's teens are reading, just not the novels that us old English teachers seem to think are so necessary. Reading is reading and the more you practice the better you get at it.
Topics that are read are changing from important issues in the news to those in gossip magazines and entertainment magazines. Teens are becoming less and less involved in the world issues-just caring about fashion and their own daily lives-becoming less knowledgable of possibly even their own state senators, etc. Some students don't know history well either, not even being able to name the first president. The reading levels that are being thrust upon students need to be raised in order for them to want to be able to understand what they are reading. A senior in high school should not have a 5 grade reading level unless they have difficulties or special circumstances.
I believe students do not read enough. I like many others don't read as much as i would like to because there is not enough time with other school work and sports. I think the teachers and parents should have there child read a little bit each day to help improve there vocabulary. The kids that do read are usually better writers and have a wider vocabulary then those that don't. I think something needs to be done in school to help the childern that don't like to read or don't take the time. I know quite a few kids that don't read becasue it is hard for them to comprehend what they are reading or have to read it twice to understand everything. One of those people is me. I don't like to read unless I have to and then i usually find someone to tell me what is happening becuase it takes me to long to read and I usually never understand what I am reading. The school should make a class that is madatory for all students to foces strictly on reading skills. It could teeach students how to understand what they are reading, techniques that help them to read. I strongly think something needs to be done about the reading of books and other materials in our school.
I believe High Schoolers are not reading enough. I think they should be assigned a reading book every month. This will help them with there vocab. alot. They can also get really good ideas from books. When they want to write a report the book will help them with vocab., creativite, speech, and audince. T.V. has a big part to. Instead of kids having to think when reading, they could much rather turn on the T.V. and just not have to think.
i think high schoolers arn'y reading enough. if you ask the avrage student and they ansewr truthfully they won't have a book to read for fun the only time they will have a book is if they need to study for a report or test
In my opinion high schoolers are not reading enough. I cant remember the last time i read a book for fun. Honestly everyone else probably only reads if it is an assignment. The reason we have vocab is because we dont read enough.
kids dont read enough. i am one of those kids that hate reading and would rather go work than read a book. parents need to read to there kids when they are young and try to convince them that reading is fun and that there is always time for reading. my vocab and reading ability is very poor and i wish it was better but dont take it upon myself to make it better. i dislike read very much because i am so bad at it and dont care for it. i think i needs to be pushed hard before kids come to school because once kids are in the 3rd 4th grade they got it in their head that it is no fun and dont want to do it no matter what.
I don't think that people read enough to learn enough. They only read for assignments. They make shortcuts for themselves. Like Vanessa said tha
Sorry but Like vanessa said there are many ways to cheat and find things without actually doing it. People think its weird when you read a book during freetime. I enjoy doing that a lot.
I believe that high schoolers aren't trying to get enough time to read. Because they are having fun driving around town with there girlfiend or boyfriend. If people were reading a lot more they would pass all of there classes in one year.
Joshua brummett
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