In the past decade, professors at elite American universities have noticed a worrying phenomenon: their students are practically unable to read a book. The problem reflects not only a change in skills, but also a change in values.
In the past decade, professors at elite American universities have noticed a worrying trend: students are struggling more and more with the required readings - reports the American magazine The Atlantic, which by Magyar Nemzet . According to Nicholas Dames, professor of literature at Columbia University, students are now entering college unable to read a book cover to cover. As he said, the reason was revealed to him by a conversation with one of his students
in high school he was never asked to read an entire book, instead reading excerpts, poems, and articles.
The problem isn't just at Columbia University. Instructors at several other renowned institutions, such as Princeton, the University of Virginia, or Georgetown, report similar experiences.
Students have difficulty concentrating on longer texts, have narrower vocabularies, and are less persistent with challenging reading.
One obvious explanation for this phenomenon is the spread of smartphones. Teenagers are exposed to constant distractions, which makes long, deep reading difficult. The data show that secondary school students are reading fewer and fewer books in their free time, for fun.
Changes in the education system also contributed to the problem. Because of the educational programs that focus on short, informative texts and standardized tests, in many schools, instead of full books, students are made to read shorter passages of texts.
The problem begins in elementary education, as biennial national surveys consistently show that two-thirds of American children cannot read at proficiency level
- points out the article of the scientific news portal Scientific American.
The situation has become so dire that some university professors are being forced to reduce their reading lists and expectations. For example, at the University of Berkeley, Professor Victoria Kahn, instead of the previous 200 pages a week, now assigns just half as many for reading. At Columbia University, the list of required readings has also been modified to allow more time for more thorough processing of individual works.
The problem reflects not only a change in skills, but also a change in values.
Today's students are more concerned about their career prospects and consider reading books less important. Many see it as an outdated activity, similar to listening to vinyl records.
The situation can have serious consequences.
Reading is important not only for publishers, but also because it develops empathy, critical thinking and self-reflection. Deep reading stimulates mental skills that reading superficial or shorter texts cannot replace.
Although the situation is worrying, some professors also see the benefits of the change. Shorter works allow for a closer examination of the subtleties of language, and educators can spend more time teaching students how to read effectively.
Cover image: Illustration / Pixabay
