In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a trend in American classrooms to move away from assigning full-length novels to students. Teachers are opting for shorter texts, excerpts, and summaries, citing reasons such as shorter attention spans, standardized testing pressure, and the need to prepare students for the digital world. The National Council of Teachers of English has acknowledged this shift, emphasizing the teaching of media literacy and inclusion of relevant texts beyond traditional books.
Critics argue that this approach limits students’ critical thinking skills and overlooks the importance of deep reading for developing empathy and understanding. Some educators, like English teacher Kristy Acevedo from New Bedford, Massachusetts, believe that students need opportunities to engage with full-length novels to fully grasp complex themes and narratives. However, challenges like time constraints, standardized testing, and the influence of technology continue to shape the approach to teaching literature in schools.
Despite these shifts, some schools like Garden City Middle School in New York continue to require students to read entire novels like “Of Mice and Men” and “Romeo and Juliet.” The debate over the balance between shorter, digital texts and full-length novels in classrooms reflects broader concerns about reading habits among young people and the impact of educational practices on students’ literacy skills.
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