By Jessica Lin — Hated reading in school. Became a reader anyway. Learned the difference between assigned reading and reading for pleasure.
Last updated: June 2026
You tell a student to read a book. They groan. They procrastinate. They read the SparkNotes instead. They finish the book without understanding it.
This happens every day in classrooms around the world.
The problem is not the students. The problem is not reading. The problem is how reading is taught.
The Problem with Assigned Reading
Students have no choice.
You are told to read a specific book. You cannot read something else. You cannot read at your own pace. You cannot skip the parts that bore you. Choice is the #1 motivator for reading. Assigned reading removes choice.
The book is too hard.
The reading level is too high. The vocabulary is unfamiliar. The context is distant (a 19th-century English novel for a 14-year-old in 2026). Students get frustrated. They stop trying.
The book is too easy.
Students who read above grade level are given books that do not challenge them. They get bored. They stop trying.
Reading is followed by punishment.
Read the book. Then answer 50 questions. Then write an essay. Then take a test. Reading becomes work. Work you are graded on. Work you can fail. Reading stops being fun.
Slow readers are punished.
The class is on chapter 10. You are on chapter 3. You feel behind. You feel stupid. You stop reading and look up summaries online.
How Reading Is Supposed to Feel
When people read for pleasure:
| Reading Feels Like | Not Like |
|---|---|
| Choosing what to read | Being told what to read |
| Reading at your own pace | Keeping up with the class |
| Skipping boring parts | Reading every word |
| Stopping when you want | Reading until the assignment says stop |
| Talking about what you loved | Being tested on what you remember |
No one finishes a book they love and says, “I cannot wait to take a multiple-choice test on this.”
They say, “I cannot wait to talk to someone about this.”
What Research Says
| Finding | Implication |
|---|---|
| Choice increases reading motivation | Let students choose some of their books |
| Easy access to books increases reading | Classroom libraries. School libraries. Public libraries. |
| Modeling matters | Students read more when they see adults reading |
| Social reading increases engagement | Book talks. Reading groups. Partner reading. |
| Rewards can backfire | “Read 10 books and get a pizza” works short-term, kills long-term motivation |
The goal is not to make students read for a grade. The goal is to make students read for life.
How to Fix Reading in Schools
Give students choice.
Let students choose some of their books. Not all. Some. Even one choice per semester changes motivation.
Let students abandon books.
If a student hates a book after 50 pages, let them switch to another. Adults do this. Adults do not finish books they hate. Why do we force students to?
Stop testing every book.
Some books can just be read. No questions. No essays. No tests. Just reading and talking.
Talk about books, don’t interrogate them.
| Interrogation | Conversation |
|---|---|
| What is the theme? | What did you think? |
| Who is the protagonist? | Which character did you like? |
| What is the symbolism of the green light? | Did you notice how the author described the light? |
| Prove your answer with quotes | Tell me about a part that stuck with you |
One feels like a test. The other feels like a conversation. Conversation builds readers. Tests build resistance.
Read aloud to older students.
Reading aloud is not just for elementary school. Middle and high school students benefit too. Hearing a fluent reader brings the text to life. It models pacing, tone, and expression.
Build classroom libraries.
Students read more when books are in the room. Classroom libraries with diverse titles, reading levels, and genres.
What Parents Can Do at Home
Let your child see you reading.
Modeling matters. If you are always on your phone, they will be too. If they see you reading, they are more likely to read.
Read the same book.
Read a book together. Talk about it. Not as an assignment. As a shared experience.
Do not force it.
Forcing reading creates resistance. Offer books. Leave them around. Take your child to the library. Let them come to reading on their own.
Audiobooks count.
Audiobooks are reading. They build vocabulary, comprehension, and a love of stories. Do not dismiss them.
A Different Approach to Assigned Reading
| Instead Of | Try |
|---|---|
| One book for the whole class | Book clubs with 3-5 choices |
| Reading every chapter | Reading key chapters, summarizing others |
| A test after every book | A book talk or creative project |
| Reading logs (hours or pages) | Reading logs (what did you read today? what do you think?) |
| Penalties for not finishing | Permission to abandon and try another |
What This Does Not Mean
It does not mean students should never read challenging books.
They should. Challenging books build vocabulary and stamina. But not every book needs to be a challenge.
It does not mean students should never be tested on reading.
Some assessment is fine. But assessment should not be the only reason to read.
It does not mean students will automatically love reading.
Some students will never love reading. That is fine. The goal is competence, not passion. But many students who hate reading are just students who have not found the right book yet.
The Bottom Line
Most students do not hate reading. They hate assigned reading.
No choice. Books that are too hard or too easy. Followed by tests and essays. Reading becomes work. Work you can fail. No one loves that.
Give students choice. Let them abandon books. Talk, don’t interrogate. Read aloud. Build libraries.
The goal is not to make every student a reader. The goal is to stop making students hate reading.
That is where every reader starts.
About the author: Jessica Lin hated reading in school. She found her own books outside of class. She became a reader anyway. She wishes school had helped, not hurt.
This article is for informational purposes. Every student is different. What works for one may not work for another.
