Takin' it Back to Good, Old-Fashioned Books

While debating an acceptable amount of time to play video games, an eighth grader told me that books were old fashioned and that his generation was more focused on technology. The rest of the class hurried to agree with him. Having grown up in the dark ages of technology, it is easy for me to impose limits on screen time with my usual line, “You’re turning your brain to mush.” While I recognize the value of these devices, I also want my students to recognize the value of reading. Your school can encourage this fickle age-group to pick up a novel by celebrating Teen Read Week the week of October 14^th to the 20^th.

The Entertainment Value of Books

With so many gadgets vying for their precious free time, too few ‘tweens and teens look to books for entertainment. However, many studies have shown that kids who read more perform better on standardized tests. There is also a link between the amount of time spent reading and income level.¹ During Teen Read Week, the Young Adults Library Services Association (YALSA) will be working to make books cool again.

Ways to Celebrate

• Because the whole idea is to get teens to discover the entertainment value that books can provide, challenge your class to give up one electronic device for the week. They can create video journals of their struggles without iPads, the Wii, or even (gasp!) the computer.
• Since participating in activities with friends is still high on a teenager’s list of fun, demonstrate that having a common topic to talk about is entertaining. Pick a high-interest, current book that the whole school can read together. Holding book discussion groups in unlikely places such as a stage, the school coffee bar, or a courtyard during the school day will pique their interest.
• While it might be too late for this year’s Teen Read Week, look into an author visit for next year. Not every author requires a huge fee for school visits. Many local authors want to share their love of reading and writing. Check out Kim Norman's blogspot for a state by state list of authors who might be able to pop in on your student body.
• Put on a villain’s parade. Participants can come dressed as their favorite antagonist from any novel and collect votes from the student body. Consider prizes like Nook Book gift cards to sweeten the deal.
• Have learners record a thirty second infomercial about the last book they read and broadcast these during announcements or lunch periods.
• Invite teachers and pupils to read aloud to the school during lunch periods. This worked surprisingly well at my son’s middle school.
• Host a book trivia night in which teams vie for bragging rights. Ask faculty members and pupils to drop literature-based trivia questions into a collection box during the week.

A Wide Variety of Formats

No doubt about it, times have changed. So have the variety of outlets teens turn to when they do read. Teen Read Week highlights that reading is fun, free, and flexible in any format. As a teacher, be sure to encourage all forms of reading including ebooks, magazines, graphic novels, and audiobooks. Whatever puts the pleasure in pleasure reading for your students, embrace it! No matter the format, they will be making inferences, learning new vocabulary, and putting together context clues all while giving their thumbs a much-deserved break and rediscovering the ancient form of entertainment called reading.

¹From a 2007 study by the National Endowment of the Arts and published in the NY Times in November 2007.

More Literature Inspiration Available from Lesson Planet:

Comic Book Presentations: Unleashing the Power of the Visual Learner

This article suggests ways to incorporate graphic novels into your class curriculum. The author argues that visual learners respond better to illustrations which in turn enrich their writing.

Writing Effective Responses to Literature

Participants assume the role of a famous literary critic to develop analytical skills. Learners read an approved story, write a thesis statement about his or her opinion of the book, and provide details from the story to support the thesis.

Perceiving a Culture through Its Literature

Although adaptable to any culture study of interest, the example lesson uses a Korean story, After Seventeen Years. Secondary learners search for cultural clues in literature, as well as prejudices and assumptions by the authors and translators.