Read it and (don’t) weep

Are students reading the materials you assign in your classes?  

Some students have always found ways to avoid assigned readings, but today’s generative-AI summaries, YouTube videos, and Google searches make it easier than ever to glean basic facts without tackling complex texts.  

Skipping readings can be a rational choice. Some students may calculate that putting in long hours of reading is not worth their time; by cutting corners, they can pursue other interests while still achieving a passing grade.   

But for some students, skipping readings reflects a skill gap: The habit of consuming bits of information through videos and short bursts of text is so ingrained that they have yet to develop the stamina to read university-level materials. Students lacking sufficient reading stamina may simply give up when assigned challenging texts: Experiments by Frank Hakemulder and Anne Mangen found that “more frequent reading of short texts on screen predicted less inclination to muster the cognitive persistence required for reading a longer text”. 

When students skip readings, they are depriving themselves of learning and skill-development opportunities. “Sustained reading requires us to follow a line of thinking, to really consider and understand a point of view,” asserts writing instructor Liz Stillwaggon Swan. “We undergo deep learning as the new input reorganizes the neural connectivity in our brains so we can perceive the world in a genuinely new way. In other words, we learn when we read.”  

You can’t force students to read, but you can use course design and instruction to motivate and support them to do so. Try some of the following ideas: 

Be explicit with students about the role reading plays in your course 

In the syllabus and in the classroom, explain how reading supports students’ learning and why specific readings are necessary. Tell students why and when you expect them to complete the readings. Are students reading to identify an argument, to be introduced to content, or for another reason? Should they complete the readings before or after each class session? 

Set high expectations and support students to meet these expectations 

Developmental psychologist David Yeager argues that young adults need both challenge and support, and that many instructors provide only one or the other. Ensure you provide both. 

To challenge students, hold them accountable with methods such as in-class pass/fail reading quizzes, handwritten reading journals, and annotated reading assignments using software such as Perusall. Ensure that the grade weighting for these assignments offers sufficient motivation: If a student can achieve a good grade while skipping the readings, it implies that readings are optional. 

To support students, bring reading into your classroom. Ideas include: explicitly teaching how to read challenging texts; working through reading excerpts in class; sharing your strategies for effective reading; and demonstrating how to annotate while reading. Acknowledge that deep reading is a difficult skill, reassure students that they will master it with practice, and inform them of its benefits. Remember that librarians and learning centres are helpful allies. 

Be realistic and compassionate 

Consider carefully if the readings you are assigning are appropriate to the course level in terms of difficulty, volume and relevance. As Will Mason and Meesha A. Warminton of the University of Sheffield in England write, “Students are more likely to engage deeply with a realistic volume of reading. If you want students to read more, consider asking them to read less.” Think about using excerpts and focused reading selections to make the reading assignments less intimidating. Be empathetic to students’ need to develop reading stamina and skills.  

While students may choose to read or not to read, as instructors we can create the conditions for their reading development. For many instructors, reading is a source of personal growth and satisfaction. Passing this skill along to students is a lifelong gift.