Walk into my school library early in the morning. Look all around at the new large print books and audio books, shelved so neatly. Then marvel at just how quiet it actually is.
No, people aren’t caught up in some romance novel, a thrilling mystery, a somber story, a dark satire, or a new novella. Rather, just one library user is in this vast empty space.
What can we do to encourage more people to enjoy books?
Here are two ideas—one pertaining to young people in general, and one for students with vision problems.
Why Johnny doesn’t want to read
A major reason why kids in my school won’t read books is that they think they are all written in old English, and that’s a shame. We could be using some good, modern books in the classroom.
A perfect example would be The Giver, or possibly The Fountainhead. I understand that teachers love all the literary elements used in Shakespeare works, and symbols behind everything, and I love them as well, but to the average reader, they are a tad hard to follow. By shoving them down our throats, aren’t educators creating a subtle hatred for the written word? Why not switch to modern literature, such as Sharon Draper books, Lois Lowery books, Margaret Peterson Haddix books, or possibly even some good old Dorothy Parker?
They all have literary elements to study, and some even have more than that. Great study guides could be derived from the books and be made into tests that most kids would be eager to pass. Is it so wrong to change a little with the times? Then maybe more literature lovers would blossom and bloom.
Another reason for apathy toward books—and one solution
Another reason for lack of interest in books, though this relates more to us blind and near-blind people, is that most English teachers have a massive fear of audio books. What if you had eye impairment and there weren’t any large print books in sight? I would pick up an audio book, but all my teachers, even at a blind school, would frown disapprovingly and scold me about how I can read so I don’t need or shouldn’t need audio.
Well, what if I’m an auditory learner and can retain things better that way? Why be afraid of a different medium? Open your heart and mind. Try having your class listen to Shakespeare rather than reading the text. You’re still getting the same information.
Related: Why recreational reading counts, too—not just the kid for school and ‘A new assignment: Pick books you like.’
Editor’s note: These are Robert’s personal opinions. What do you think about them? I myself believe that we need a mix of classics and modern books. Good literature should challenge readers. But first get ‘em interested in books, period. Robert’s big concerns are right on the mark. – D.R.
Of all the crap books I was forced to digest in elementary school, The Giver was my very most favorite and I seriously believe it shaped many of my critical thinking processes regarding society and customs.
But more importantly it showed me that book can be more than boring stories about children doing stupid things in candy factories or worse… time travel.
I think you’re absolutely right about providing auditory learners with audiobooks. As you said, why not?
Though I agree that contemporary lit in the curriculum wouldn’t hurt anyone, I don’t think I’d ditch the Shakespeare entirely. Part of education is becoming conversant in our cultural heritage, the kind that transcends borders and nationalities and ethnicities, and Shakespeare represents the very best of that.
Many children with reading problems have been shoved into a category called “retarded” when they are vision impaired, not hearing impaired. Load the audio file onto their iPod and turn them loose.
There’s nothing wrong with the “classics,” but they should be applied at the right time: Too early, and the student has too much trouble digesting “Olde English” to appreciate them.
Hopefully, the influx of new readers and reading SW will mean more audiobooks for Robert and others who are either vision-impaired or auditory learners.
I think not having variety in your reading diet is a bit like eating vegetables all the time. They may be good for you, but you’re missing out on a lot more. Reading skills are important but so are listening skills. And what about the art in graphic novels? Doesn’t that add value to the reading experience? I am a librarian and I hate it when a parent refuses to let a child check out an audiobook or a graphic novel because “it will keep them from reading real books.” The only thing that bothers me more are the parents who let their children check out a stack of DVDs but refuse to let them get any books.
I am also the parent of two children who have dyslexia. We often got audio versions of books they had to read for school. They listened to the audio book in addition to reading the print book and their reading skills improved because of it. Now they are teens and both avid readers.
I often use audio books to do my “reading” for Classics as most of Plato, Herodotus etc are available from Librivox etc. It lets me use the time I am driving my car in a productive way and it’s amazing how much sticks in my memory. As for discouraging sight impaired readers to use audio books – how crazy is that?
I don’t really like dumbing down books for young students. The discipline of reading all types of material is very important. Is someone going to rewrite all those university textbooks in simple English for them? No way!! And all those students from non-English speaking countries who have to translate and then read will walk away with all the honours and awards, because they have actually put in the time to learn.
Uh, guys? THIS is Old English:
Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,
(That’s from the prelude to Beowulf, if you were wondering.)
Shakespeare and books published prior to the 20th century are written in perfectly understandable and often extremely elegant English; the reader might just have to work a little harder to fully comprehend it. Reading such works would, one hopes, counteract some of the low-attention-span issues that Young Persons often have today, occasioned by video games and fast-action films. (And there is nothing wrong with either one of those things. Everything in moderation.) And I submit it is important to understand the evolution of literature as well to truly appreciate modern works.
I agree that there’s nothing wrong with audio books. I’ll never understand why people look upon them with disapproval, or as ‘cheating’. Reading should be enjoyable, so if you prefer listening to a book, why not? I blogged about this way back in 2007 – Making reading fun
The language of Shakespeare is a major obstacle for many modern student readers. Spark Notes has a free website that explicates Shakespearian writing. Once the base-level semantics are clear the student can begin to perceive the beauty and cleverness of Shakespeare’s words.
The “translation” helps students with phrases such as: “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?” which does not mean “Where are you located Romeo?” It means “Why do you have to be Romeo?” (thus a Montague, and an enemy to Juliet’s family, the Capulets).
Robert Kingett suggests “Try having your class listen to Shakespeare rather than reading the text.” This is a great idea, but I would amend it to say “listen to Shakespeare in addition to reading the text when possible”. The plays were written to be spoken or performed. Students with vision would also benefit from DVDs or live performances at top-notch playhouses.
That must be why I put my words inside quotes: I was trying to make a point. At any rate, this isn’t about debating the changes of the language over time… this is about providing the means to experience and enjoy classic works, appropriately for the student.
Sorry, Steve. As a Jane Austen student and enthusiast that’s a hobby-horse of mine. 😉 I love it when kids complain she writes in Old English, with or without quotation marks.
And I totally agree that seeing Shakespeare performed really brings his work alive. But I also submit that if the student is reading the play for a class, the teacher, or a good edition of the works, should explain that “Wherefore art thou Romeo” means “Why did you have to be a Montague?” I learned that when I read that play at 14 and fell in love with Shakespeare. You don’t just hand kids Shakespeare and watch them sink or swim. It is work, and it requires a little training at first, I agree.
And to get back to the subject of the post in the first place–audiobooks are wonderful things both for busy commuters and students! There are some pretty good ones for many classics available for free on Librivox.
Robert, This was a very well written and thoughtful post! I work for ReadHowYouWant, a company that works directly with publishers to release accessible editions of their books, including large print and audio. I’d love to talk with you directly about the use of large print books in your classrooms. Please do not hesitate to contact me at bradi@readhowyouwant.com. That goes for any blind or visually impaired students 🙂 Yes to audio! Yes to large print! (and yes to contemporary as well as classic literature!)