Chris Stanislawski, 14, poses for a portrait outside of his home in Garden City, N.Y., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. Chris didn’t finish any books in his 8th grade English class, in part because their google classroom had detailed summaries of each chapter of every book. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman)
Chris Stanislawski didn’t read much in his middle school English classes, but it never felt necessary. Students were given detailed chapter summaries for every novel they discussed, and teachers played audio of the books during class.
Much of the reading material at Garden City Middle School in Long Island was either abridged books, or online texts and printouts, he said.
“When you’re given a summary of the book telling you what you’re about to read in baby form, it kind of just ruins the whole story for you,” said Chris, 14. “Like, what’s the point of actually reading?”
In many English classrooms across America, assignments to read full-length novels are becoming less common. Some teachers focus instead on selected passages — a concession to perceptions of shorter attention spans , pressure to prepare for standardized tests and a sense that short-form content will prepare students for the modern, digital world.
The National Council of Teachers of English acknowledged the shift in a 2022 statement on media education, saying: “The time has come to decenter book reading and essay-writing as the pinnacles of English language arts education.”
The idea is not to remove books but to teach media literacy and add other texts that feel relevant to students, said Seth French, one of the statement’s co-authors. In the English class he taught before becoming a dean last year at Bentonville High School in Arkansas, students engaged with plays, poetry and articles but read just one book together as a class.
“At the end of the day, a lot of our students are not interested in some of these texts that they didn’t have a choice in,” he said.
The emphasis on shorter, digital texts does not sit well with everyone.
Deep reading is essential to strengthen circuits in the brain tied to critical thinking skills, background knowledge — and, most of all, empathy, said Maryanne Wolf, a cognitive neuroscientist at UCLA specializing in dyslexia research.
“We must give our young an opportunity to understand who others are, not through little snapshots, but through immersion into the lives and thoughts and feelings of others,” Wolf said.
At Garden City Middle School, students are required to read several books in their entirety each year, including “Of Mice and Men” and “Romeo and Juliet,” Principal Matthew Samuelson said. Audio versions and summaries are provided as extra resources, he said.
For Chris, who has dyslexia, the audio didn’t make the reading feel more accessible. He just felt bored. He switched this fall to a Catholic school, which his mother feels will prepare him better for college.
There’s little data on how many books are assigned by schools. But in general, students are reading less. Federal data from last year shows only 14% of young teens say they read for fun daily, compared with 27% in 2012.
Teachers say the slide has its roots in the COVID-19 crisis.
“There was a trend, it happened when COVID hit, to stop reading full-length novels because students were in trauma; we were in a pandemic. The problem is we haven’t quite come back from that,” said Kristy Acevedo, who teaches English at a vocational high school in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
This year, she said she won’t accept that students are too distracted to read. She plans to teach time-management strategies and to use only paper and pencils for most of class time.
Other teachers say the trend stems from standardized testing and the influence of education technology . Digital platforms can deliver a complete English curriculum, with thousands of short passages aligned to state standards — all without having to assign an actual book.
“If admins and school districts are judged by their test scores, how are they going to improve their test scores? They’re going to mirror the test as much as possible,” said Karl Ubelhoer, a middle school special education teacher in Tabernacle, New Jersey.
For some students, it’s a struggle to read at all . Only around a third of fourth and eighth graders reached reading proficiency in the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, down significantly from 2019.
Leah van Belle, a literacy advocate in Detroit, said when her son read “Peter Pan” in late elementary school, it was too hard for most kids in the class. She laments that Detroit feels like “a book desert.” Her son’s school doesn’t even have a library.
Still, she said it makes sense for English classes to focus on shorter texts.
“As an adult, if I want to learn about a topic and research it, be it personal or professional, I’m using interactive digital text to do that,” she said.
Even in well-resourced schools, one thing is always in short supply: time.
Terri White, a teacher at South Windsor High School in Connecticut, no longer makes her honors ninth-grade English class read all of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” She assigns about a third of the book and a synopsis of the rest. They have to move on quickly because of pressure for teachers to cram more into the curriculum, she said.
“It’s like spinning plates, you know what I mean? Like it’s a circus,” she said.
She also assigns less homework because kids’ schedules are so packed with sports, clubs and other activities.
“I maintain rigor. But I’m more about helping students become stronger and more critical readers, writers and thinkers, while taking their social-emotional well-being into account,” she said.
In the long run, the synopsis approach harms students’ critical thinking skills, said Alden Jones, a literature professor at Emerson College in Boston. She assigns fewer books than she once did and gives more quizzes to make sure students do the reading.
“We don’t value the thinking time that we used to have. It’s all time we could be on our phone accomplishing tasks,” she said.
Will Higgins, an English teacher at Dartmouth High School in Massachusetts, said he still believes in teaching the classics, but demands on students’ time have made it necessary to cut back.
“We haven’t given up on ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ We haven’t given up on ‘Hamlet’ or ‘The Great Gatsby,’″ Higgins said. But he said they have given up assigning others like “A Tale of Two Cities.”
His school has had success encouraging reading through student-directed book clubs, where small groups pick a book and discuss it together. Contemporary authors like John Green and Jason Reynolds have been a big hit.
“It’s funny,” he said. “Many students are saying that it’s the first time in a long time they’ve read a full book .”
The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
I've taught or advised college students in New York and New Jersey for the last 15 years. For many of my students, it's been smooth sailing from day one. For others, the waters are a bit rockier.
There are many things I wish my students knew before embarking on their college journeys. And even though it's been three decades since I began my freshman year , there are many things I wish I had known before I started, too.
I have my own ideas about what would help incoming students have a successful first year in school, but I also spoke to several friends in academia to get their take on the issue, too.
Here are some of my best tips for freshmen in their first semester .
It's amazing how many students frequently skip class . It's not enough to get the notes from someone else.
Related stories
You miss important discussions and the chance to ask questions when you ditch class. You miss the opportunity to interact with your professor and classmates.
I know a student may miss a class for many reasons, including illness. But if you're too tired from late-night jam sessions or video production clubs, you may want to rethink your extracurriculars . I struggled with this in school. I was overscheduled and juggling too many activities. It's tempting, but you can't do everything all at once. Pace yourself.
Taking a moment to read the syllabus will help you get ahead as a student.
It's always a good idea to keep track of assignments in a paper planner with due dates labeled. Many professors don't accept late work. If you don't understand an assignment, ask for clarification in class. Don't wait until the night before the assignment is due.
Think carefully before emailing your professor. We're people, too. Our inboxes are full . So when you email us, please use the subject line.
Even a simple "Subject: Looking for clarification on class reading" would be helpful.
Once you've mastered the subject line , I'd ask you to look closely at your professor's name and title. Have you spelled it correctly? I can't tell you how many times students have butchered my name — first and last — on a graded assignment.
When crafting your email, please remember that it may not get read immediately. Don't expect answers to come as quickly as a friend on a text. Give us time to respond.
Despite having lots of reading to do for class, I recommend students read for fun, too. Reading is good for the soul. It's soothing, entertaining, and free. Head to your on-campus library and check out a book that interests you to further your education.
Plus, you should always ask a librarian for help. Librarians can save students time, help them get unstuck, and generally make their lives easier. Librarians are also great when it comes to research.
Thank the people who keep your school up and running. That could be a food service worker, bus driver, or cleaning staff. It might be the groundskeeper who waters the flowers by your dorm or the cashier at the campus bookstore. Or maybe you finally turned a corner in your advanced Spanish class and want to thank the TA for spending extra time with you.
Let them know you're grateful for their time. One of my writing teachers says she's kept all the letters of gratitude she's received from students. I do this, too. I know how it feels when a student takes the time to craft a thank you note , especially a handwritten one.
It's a privilege to attend college ; you don't have to be here. Many people would gladly trade places with you. So take advantage of the amazing opportunities presented to you — even if they make you uncomfortable (within reason).
For example, sign up for classes and clubs that might challenge you. Plus, if you're used to hanging in the back row, find a seat up front and learn to raise your hand. We don't bite.
College is a time to experiment in all aspects of life; don't waste it by staying in your comfort zone.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
A school is a place where students are taught the fundamentals of life, as well as how to grow and survive in life. It instils in us values and principles that serve as the foundation for a child's development. My school is my second home where I spend most of my time. Above all, it gives me a platform to do better in life and also builds my ...
Best Things About the School Life for Students. School Life is the best time of our life as we make new friends, learn new things and build our career there. School time is the only time which we enjoy most, and when we enter college, we always miss our school life. School life teaches us lots of new things and prepares us to face all the ...
Essay on my school. Let's start the essay on my school. Quote "Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.". - Oprah Winfre. Outline of the Essay. Introduction, my school. My school one amongst the best schools in the city. I feel proud to be a part of Delhi Public School, Varanasi. I feel honoured when I walk ...
500+ Words Essay on My School Life. Our school life is always the best time of our lives. Furthermore, it is the only time where I can meet my friends. My School time is the only time which I enjoy a lot. I get to play many games. Also, I get to study my favorite subject. Above all, I get to play with my group of friends and spend a good time ...
500 Words Essay on My School. Man is not born intellectual; instead, he acquires information by arriving in this world and does so through his education. Any person can advance in the proper direction and succeed in life with the help of school. Every parent encourages their children to attend school from the start because they recognise the ...
My School Paragraph: 100 Words. The name of my school is Bidya Bhaban High School. There is a garden in front of my school. There is a playground just before it. It is an open space for games and sports and a lot of fun. We play on the playground when we get time for that. There are twenty-two classrooms, a library, a laboratory, a teachers ...
ICSE Specimen Papers 2020 for Class 9; ISC Specimen Papers 2020 for Class 12; ISC Specimen Papers 2020 for Class 11; ICSE Time Table 2020 Class 10; ISC Time Table 2020 Class 12; Maths. ... Essay on My School - Given below is a Long and Short Essay on My School for aspirants of competitive exams, kids and students belonging to classes 1, 2, 3 ...
The following School Essay can be used by Class 6, Class 7, Class 8, Class 9, and Class 10 students. My School name is ABC School which is located in XYZ place. My school is one of the largest schools in our city which has 2000+ students. Around 75 teachers are working in my school.
The My School Life essay 100, 150, 200, 250 words in English helps the students with their class assignments, comprehension tasks, and even for competitive examinations. School life is one of the most important phases in the life of a man. It is the period during which one learns the basic principles of behavior, speech, and etiquette.
School is said to be a temple of knowledge, the very first place that introduced you to the world and more so your own self. My school life is all about the memories I deeply cherish. The memories of not only the fun, friendship and all the sport and extracurricular but also the way it helped me find my interests.
My School Essay 6 (350 Words) Introduction. My school imparts education and other essential qualities in me, making me more confident and energetic. The campus of my school is like my second home, where I meet my extended family consisting of friends, teachers and staffs. Role of My School in Education.
6. The results of my school are very good. 7. Teachers are well-qualified and experienced. 8. Our principal is a strict disciplinarian. 9. My school teaches me good manners and discipline. 10. My school is my second home. 10 Lines Essay on My School for Classes 5, 6, 7. 1. The name of my school is St. James' School. 2. My school is the best ...
My School Essay 500 Words. The place where children as the leaders of tomorrow study and where the future of the nation is shaped are called schools. Education is an essential weapon for tomorrow, so the good schools of today are important for the best future of a nation. Schools are the center of learning where we attend classes on various ...
My School Essay in 400 Words. My school is located in the heart of the city. It is a well-known institution applauded for its education methods and devoted teaching staff. My school plays a very significant role in my life. It is like a launchpad from where I begin my life's journey.
Essay on My School Life: School life is the best phase of a student's life. It is a time when a student learns new things and explores his/her own potential. It is a time when a student discovers his/her own identity and develops a sense of self-confidence. School life is also a time when a student develops friendships and bonds with classmates.
Essay on My First Day in School Sample in 200 Words. It was a sunny day and the sun was shining brightly. With my new and attractive backpack, I was moving through the school gate. It was my first day in school and I was filled with nervousness and excitement. From the tower of the building to the playground everything was bigger than life.
Ans: When writing an essay on my school, you have to consider the following things: understand the audience and set your language and tone accordingly. Highlight the key details of your school realistically. Keep your tone formal, objective, and impersonal. It emphasises clarity, precision, and logical reasoning.
Get inspired with great narratives and Class 9 Essay Topics. Avail the Grade Specific Essay Writing Topics curated belonging to different categories. Bring up the Creative Mind and Imagination in you by referring to the 9th Standard Essay Topics. Enhance your Vocabulary with the Grade 9 Essay Writing Topics & Ideas and express your thoughts […]
This short essay my school on the topic is suitable for students of class 6 and below. There are thirty rooms and a large playground in my school. We also have beautiful gardens and lawns, which have a variety of plants and trees. There are two gardeners to look after the gardens. All our teachers are highly qualified and competent.
500+ Words Essay on My School Library A school library is a structure within the school that houses a collection of books, audio-visual material and other content that serves common use to meet the educational, informative and recreational needs of the users.The chief objective of libraries is to meet the academic needs of the particular educational institution which it serves.
10 Lines Essay on My School. 1. My school name is Adarsh School. 2. My school is one of the most popular schools in the city of Delhi. 3. My School building is very beautiful wide and airy. 4. My school is located in a very peaceful place away from the pollution.
We have got short my school essays and long my school essays here, you can choose whatever you need. Essay on My School. Short Essay on My School (150 Words) for Class 1, 2. My School: Essay (300 Words) for Class 3, 4. Our School: Essay (350 Words) for Class 5, 6. My School: Essay (400 Words) for Class 7, 8.
Chris Stanislawski didn't read much in his middle school English classes, but it never felt necessary. Students were given detailed chapter summaries for every novel they discussed, and teachers played audio of the books during class.. Much of the reading material at Garden City Middle School in Long Island was either abridged books, or online texts and printouts, he said.
report flag outlined. Answer: my school. Explanation: school is the nightmare of every kids life. school is the place where we are forced to stay with witches and vampires for 6 hours every day.But of course, this is not enough,we are given an evil thing known as homework which will not let us relax even at home.
Thank the people who keep your school up and running. That could be a food service worker, bus driver, or cleaning staff. It might be the groundskeeper who waters the flowers by your dorm or the ...