On Teaching Literature
By Nicole Cohen, a Junior at iPrep Academy
By Nicole Cohen, a Junior at iPrep Academy
“What Robin’s family talked about was Robin. They told anecdotes from baby days and kindergarten and Little League, all the sweet and funny and inconsequential things anyone remembered he’d ever said or done. His old aunts recalled mountains of trivia: toys he’d had, clothes he’d worn, teachers he’s liked or hated, games he’d played, dreams he’d recounted, things he’d disliked, and wished for, and most loved…
Above is an excerpt from Donna Tartt’s novel The Little Friend. Who is Robin? What happened to Robin? Why is the narrator listing things Robin has done? What is the conflict and why? Unless familiarized with the story, the answer to these questions is most likely, a repeated, “I don’t know.”
Now, consider this: Robin, the protagonist’s older brother, was found dead in Alexandria, Mississippi in 1964, leaving the family saddened for generations. Perhaps, with the help of some context, the text above seems clearer.
Now, consider this: Robin, the protagonist’s older brother, was found dead in Alexandria, Mississippi in 1964, leaving the family saddened for generations. Perhaps, with the help of some context, the text above seems clearer.
Photo from Lettertec Books
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However, Masterclass, a popular online educational platform where the classes are taught by “masters” and experts in each subject, explains that “Context provides meaning and clarity to the intended message. Context clues in a literary work create a relationship between the writer and reader, giving a deeper understanding of the intent and direction of the writing.”¹ Without reading the entire novel, not only does the story becomes fragmented, but also the reader has to guess about too many elements of literature to foster a love of reading.
Withal, reading ONLY excerpts of a story fractures the reading experience and hinders students from developing advanced reading comprehension. After conversing with 3 friends from other schools, I realized that they had not read ANY full novels during their high-school education, only excerpts and short-stories. This discovery deeply worried me because much of the basis of our education comes from literary pieces, and they are certainly not the only students who are being deprived of this discipline. |
Due to the new ELA requirements across the country, teaching complete novels is becoming scarce and only giving students “snippets” of stories. The experience leaves the students with ambiguous memories and does not create the critical thinking, engagement, and appreciation of literature while reading an entire novel.
Authors write novels with an intention, and explained by iPrep’s Advanced Placement Literature teacher, Ms. Keller, “authors write novels, well written novels, focused on a literary argument, and each piece– the setting, the characters, the symbols, the narration– all contribute to this whole experience, and in the end the appreciation and love of reading is developed. The appreciation is probably the most important part.” For textbooks or teachers to only teach a piece of a story alters the author’s meaning and only trains a student to take a test.
Authors write novels with an intention, and explained by iPrep’s Advanced Placement Literature teacher, Ms. Keller, “authors write novels, well written novels, focused on a literary argument, and each piece– the setting, the characters, the symbols, the narration– all contribute to this whole experience, and in the end the appreciation and love of reading is developed. The appreciation is probably the most important part.” For textbooks or teachers to only teach a piece of a story alters the author’s meaning and only trains a student to take a test.
Cartoon taken from Chariot Learning (original artist unknown)
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Since 2020, Florida has replaced the “Common Core Standards”² for “Florida’s B.E.S.T. standards”. While this new advancement provides “sample texts” for each grade, the lists fail to connect the texts and learning goals to ensure student participation, understanding, and awareness. Amber Northern, the Senior Vice President for Research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, explains that “...the words ‘disciplinary literacy’ do not appear in the standards at all… if the Florida Department of Education wants disciplinary literacy standards, they should include them in their new standards.”³ Disciplinary literacy provides students with the necessary skills to think critically and conceptually about a specific topic. Most people grow up seeing reading as a chore because, for them, it is too laborious to be considered pleasurable. Without the necessary skills to comprehend extended literary pieces, like a novel, students will always perceive pleasure reading as something unattainable to them. The goal is not only to get students to critically analyze novels, but also to get them to enjoy reading like they would a TV show.
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Peter Greene, a retired high-school teacher, comments on the issue of focusing ENTIRELY on standardized tests: “Both the standards and the tests are focused on ‘skills,’ with the idea that the business of reading a play or a story or any piece of text is not for the value of that text, but for the reading skills that one acquires and practices in the reading. The standards suggest that students should have some knowledge about some texts, but that's not the focus”.⁴
Moreover, art, such as literature, is meant to be interpreted and enjoyed, and, as Diane Ravitch, a historian of education and Research Professor of Education at New York University, explains, “teaching only an excerpt does violence to the work and destroys love of literature. Excerpting is butchery.”⁵ Encouraging students to read full novels not only nourishes appreciation for reading, but also promotes thorough discussions and analysis. |
Graph by Shane Snow on research about American adult reading levels
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Analysis and other crucial skills are obtained from continuous and consistent reading. Jessica Stillman –a writer, editor, and ghostwriter– explains that reading “also builds up our ability to focus and grasp complex ideas. Studies show that the less you really read (skim reading from your phone doesn't count), the more these essential abilities wither.”⁶
In fact, a study conducted at Stanford University, a private research university in Stanford, California, concluded that “paying attention to literary texts requires the coordination of multiple complex cognitive functions.”⁷ The study showed that the right words can stimulate mental images and potent emotions in the participants. To successfully implement reading as a part of people’s lives, it is important to understand how literature can change everyone deeply in various ways; love for reading can change empathy levels, memorization skills, problem-solving skills, and vocabulary skills, according to health and wellness column Healthline⁸.
In fact, a study conducted at Stanford University, a private research university in Stanford, California, concluded that “paying attention to literary texts requires the coordination of multiple complex cognitive functions.”⁷ The study showed that the right words can stimulate mental images and potent emotions in the participants. To successfully implement reading as a part of people’s lives, it is important to understand how literature can change everyone deeply in various ways; love for reading can change empathy levels, memorization skills, problem-solving skills, and vocabulary skills, according to health and wellness column Healthline⁸.
47th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools
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Although independent reading should also be encouraged by teachers, step-by-step guidance (enhancing analytical skills, mentioned in the Stanford study) is essential for a student's development. Ariel Sacks, a middle school teacher who writes about education issues, in her book Whole Novels for the Whole Class: A Student-Centered Approach, argues that “Ideally, with years of experience and practice reading and analyzing whole novels in a classroom community, we can send the students off to college with more certainty that they are prepared to work ahead” (Sacks, p.26-27). Kids who struggle with reading in elementary school make up 88% of students who do not receive a high-school diploma, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures⁹. It is evident that inadequate and defective reading habits remain with a person beyond a test.
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According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, 130 million American adults have a reading level below that of a sixth-grader; that is roughly 54% of people between the ages of 16-74 in this country¹⁰. Further, Florida has the third-highest illiteracy rate in the US, with 19.7% of adults lacking basic literacy skills.¹¹
Literature, especially the novel, is one of the oldest forms of human expression. It allows the reader to live through someone else’s experiences and learn from them. It allows the reader to gain different perspectives. It allows the reader to acquire empathy for the different characters presented in the story. And most importantly, it allows the reader to connect with different cultures, time periods, societies, and traditions. For many, novels are a way to escape from reality to find a place of protection in fantastic, fictitious worlds, and it is depressing that reading has been diminished to nothing but a grade by the same people who should instigate admiration for it.
Literature, especially the novel, is one of the oldest forms of human expression. It allows the reader to live through someone else’s experiences and learn from them. It allows the reader to gain different perspectives. It allows the reader to acquire empathy for the different characters presented in the story. And most importantly, it allows the reader to connect with different cultures, time periods, societies, and traditions. For many, novels are a way to escape from reality to find a place of protection in fantastic, fictitious worlds, and it is depressing that reading has been diminished to nothing but a grade by the same people who should instigate admiration for it.
Works Cited
¹ “Why Is Context Important in Writing? 4 Types of Context, Explained.” Masterclass, 23 Aug. 2021, www.masterclass.com/articles/why-is-context-important-in-writing.
² “An educational initiative from 2010 that details what K–12 students throughout the United States should know in English language arts and mathematics at the conclusion of each school grade.” Wikipedia contributors.
“Common Core.” Wikipedia, 3 Oct. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Core.
³ “Dueling Florida Standards Reviews.” The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/dueling-florida-standards-reviews.
⁴ “Reading the Numbers: 130 Million American Adults Have Low Literacy Skills.” APM Research Lab, www.apmresearchlab.org/10x-adult-literacy.
⁵ U.S. Literacy Rates by State 2022. worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/us-literacy-rates-by-state.
⁶ Greene, Peter. “Common Core Testing and the Fracturing of Literature.” Forbes, 9 Nov. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2018/11/09/common-core-testing-and-the-fracturing-of-literature/?sh=48bc1c3413f1.
⁷ “Ariel Sacks: Teach Whole Books or Excerpts?” Diane Ravitch’s Blog, 5 July 2019, dianeravitch.net/2019/07/08/ariel-sacks-teach-whole-books-or-excerpts.
⁸ Stillman, Jessica. “This Is How Reading Rewires Your Brain, According to Neuroscience.” Inc.com, 28 Feb. 2021, www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/reading-books-brain-chemistry.html.
⁹ “This Is Your Brain on Jane Austen, and Stanford Researchers Are Taking Notes.” Stanford University, news.stanford.edu/news/2012/september/austen-reading-fmri-090712.html.
¹⁰“Your Brain on Books: 10 Things That Happen to Our Minds When We Read.” OEDB.org, 16 Jan. 2013, oedb.org/ilibrarian/your-brain-on-books-10-things-that-happen-to-our-minds-when-we-read.
¹¹Weyer, Matthew, and Jorge E. Casares. “Pre-Kindergarten-Third Grade Literacy.” National Conference of State Legislatures, 17 Dec. 2019, www.ncsl.org/research/education/pre-kindergarten-third-grade-literacy.aspx#:~:text=Casey%20Foundation%20found%20that%20students,struggling%20readers%20in%20third%20grade.
¹²“The ability to understand, use and reflect on written texts in order to achieve one's goals, to develop one's knowledge and potential, and to participate effectively in society.”
Directorate, Oecd Statistics. “OECD Glossary of Statistical Terms - Reading Literacy Definition.” © 2003 OECD, stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=5420.
Further reading
Berns, Gregory S., et al. “Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Novel on Connectivity in the Brain.” National Library of Medicine, 1 Dec. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3868356.
“3 Ways Poor Reading Skills Impact 68% of 4th Graders.” Reading Horizons, 2 Feb. 2022, readinghorizons.website/blog/post/2010/06/22/3-ways-poor-reading-skills-impact-6825-of-4th-graders.
213, Room. “Teaching a Novel With Excerpts.” Learning in Room 213, 20 Jan. 2022, learninginroom213.com/2018/05/teaching-a-novel-with-excerpts.
Sacks, Ariel. “Why We Shouldn’t Teach Literature With Excerpts (Opinion).” Education Week, 4 Feb. 2021, www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-why-we-shouldnt-teach-literature-with-excerpts/2019/06.
Poor Reading Skills Lead More Students to Dropout of School Than Poverty. 20 Apr. 2011, www.readinghorizons.com/blog/post/2011/04/20/poor-reading-skills-are-responsible-for-more-dropouts-than-poverty.
World Education - US. “Decoding and Fluency Problems.” NCTN, 19 Feb. 2018, www.collegetransition.org/college-career-readiness/research-briefs/decoding-fluency-problems.
“Reading and College Readiness.” ASCD, 1 June 2012, www.ascd.org/el/articles/reading-and-college-readiness.
¹ “Why Is Context Important in Writing? 4 Types of Context, Explained.” Masterclass, 23 Aug. 2021, www.masterclass.com/articles/why-is-context-important-in-writing.
² “An educational initiative from 2010 that details what K–12 students throughout the United States should know in English language arts and mathematics at the conclusion of each school grade.” Wikipedia contributors.
“Common Core.” Wikipedia, 3 Oct. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Core.
³ “Dueling Florida Standards Reviews.” The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/dueling-florida-standards-reviews.
⁴ “Reading the Numbers: 130 Million American Adults Have Low Literacy Skills.” APM Research Lab, www.apmresearchlab.org/10x-adult-literacy.
⁵ U.S. Literacy Rates by State 2022. worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/us-literacy-rates-by-state.
⁶ Greene, Peter. “Common Core Testing and the Fracturing of Literature.” Forbes, 9 Nov. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2018/11/09/common-core-testing-and-the-fracturing-of-literature/?sh=48bc1c3413f1.
⁷ “Ariel Sacks: Teach Whole Books or Excerpts?” Diane Ravitch’s Blog, 5 July 2019, dianeravitch.net/2019/07/08/ariel-sacks-teach-whole-books-or-excerpts.
⁸ Stillman, Jessica. “This Is How Reading Rewires Your Brain, According to Neuroscience.” Inc.com, 28 Feb. 2021, www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/reading-books-brain-chemistry.html.
⁹ “This Is Your Brain on Jane Austen, and Stanford Researchers Are Taking Notes.” Stanford University, news.stanford.edu/news/2012/september/austen-reading-fmri-090712.html.
¹⁰“Your Brain on Books: 10 Things That Happen to Our Minds When We Read.” OEDB.org, 16 Jan. 2013, oedb.org/ilibrarian/your-brain-on-books-10-things-that-happen-to-our-minds-when-we-read.
¹¹Weyer, Matthew, and Jorge E. Casares. “Pre-Kindergarten-Third Grade Literacy.” National Conference of State Legislatures, 17 Dec. 2019, www.ncsl.org/research/education/pre-kindergarten-third-grade-literacy.aspx#:~:text=Casey%20Foundation%20found%20that%20students,struggling%20readers%20in%20third%20grade.
¹²“The ability to understand, use and reflect on written texts in order to achieve one's goals, to develop one's knowledge and potential, and to participate effectively in society.”
Directorate, Oecd Statistics. “OECD Glossary of Statistical Terms - Reading Literacy Definition.” © 2003 OECD, stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=5420.
Further reading
Berns, Gregory S., et al. “Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Novel on Connectivity in the Brain.” National Library of Medicine, 1 Dec. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3868356.
“3 Ways Poor Reading Skills Impact 68% of 4th Graders.” Reading Horizons, 2 Feb. 2022, readinghorizons.website/blog/post/2010/06/22/3-ways-poor-reading-skills-impact-6825-of-4th-graders.
213, Room. “Teaching a Novel With Excerpts.” Learning in Room 213, 20 Jan. 2022, learninginroom213.com/2018/05/teaching-a-novel-with-excerpts.
Sacks, Ariel. “Why We Shouldn’t Teach Literature With Excerpts (Opinion).” Education Week, 4 Feb. 2021, www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-why-we-shouldnt-teach-literature-with-excerpts/2019/06.
Poor Reading Skills Lead More Students to Dropout of School Than Poverty. 20 Apr. 2011, www.readinghorizons.com/blog/post/2011/04/20/poor-reading-skills-are-responsible-for-more-dropouts-than-poverty.
World Education - US. “Decoding and Fluency Problems.” NCTN, 19 Feb. 2018, www.collegetransition.org/college-career-readiness/research-briefs/decoding-fluency-problems.
“Reading and College Readiness.” ASCD, 1 June 2012, www.ascd.org/el/articles/reading-and-college-readiness.