Some people love to read. Others don’t. Sometimes having students that don’t love to read can seem like torture, both to the teacher and to the student who doesn’t love to read. But at the end of the day, there are many reasons why students need literature. And as teachers, we can help both the students that love to read and the ones who don’t so much learn to recognize the richness that literature brings to life. In turn, those book-haters might just end up loving books more than they ever thought they could!
So, in light of us teachers bringing along all of our students into a love of reading, here is a list of 18 reasons why students need literature.
Table of Contents
1. It Expands Vocabulary and Communication Skills
Okay, I’m going to apologize here. This is probably one of the most boring reasons on the list. I realize the majority of students don’t care about the size of their vocabulary or their communication skills. But I guarantee, this is one skill set that they will be so grateful for as adults.
The great news about this boring point is that implementing it into the classroom can be fun! There are tons of great vocabulary games online. A google search will give you more than you can handle. Many times, kids will think of ways to change those games up too, which keeps things fresh in your class. AND letting them use their creativity to tweak those games covers most of the categories of Bloom’s Taxonomy–remember, understand, apply, analyze, and create. Here is a link to Bloom’s Taxonomy if you would like more information.
Kids also love to talk and be heard. I have had some of the most interesting (and sometimes lengthy) conversations with students who were learning new words. I found it so rewarding to see the light bulb come on. And I could see that they recognized something that they could use to expand their world.
One of the things kids love to do the most is argue. We don’t want to directly encourage them to argue. But teaching them vocabulary and communication skills (and adding reasoning skills) will help them to be able to express themselves in healthy ways. That is a win-win for teachers, parents, and students!
2. It Bolsters Their Imagination
Reading a great book can make some kids’ imaginations come to life. But for other kids it may not be so magical That’s where an awesome literature program comes in. Teachers can bring a book to life by helping the kids experience the book instead of just reading it. Finishing a dramatic reading of it (I love listening to recordings of the books with the kids), then discussing what the protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) experienced brings the story line to life. Ask them how they would have handled it if they were involved or if they one of the characters. It puts them right in the middle of the book.
Adding snacks, games, crafts, and even fun worksheets to the lineup immerses the students into the life of the book. It reaches all of their senses. They will see the book as so much more than just a book. They will be disappointed that they have to end with that chapter and excited to come back for the next one.
3. It Teaches Them About Other Cultures
Most kids see life through the very limited life that is happening directly around them. Some kids are fortunate enough to be well traveled and have a wide range of experiences at an early age. However, most of them only get that kind of life experience on a limited basis.
That is what makes this one of the best reasons why students need literature. Great books allow us to bridge that gap for them and experience life through a totally different lens.
Teaching the Difficult Stuff
There are also cultural themes that we would like our students to recognize. But we don’t necessarily want them to experience those themes. We want them to empathize with those around the world that struggle, whether it is for health, oppressive laws, or just personal difficulty in navigating life.
Every single culture in the world has downsides that cause its people to struggle. We may not want to go into great detail about these things with younger students. But it is good to talk to students that are old enough to start seeing the intricacies of the world. Even if it is in a limited context, it can do great good for them to recognize.
Using the Proper Perspective
We also want our students to realize that life looks different to everybody. This is especially true when people are from different parts of the world. They should recognize that some people live magical lives they would never be able to imagine in their own world. But even within those magical lives, they still struggle in very real ways.
Teaching them that life looks drastically different for everyone, rich or poor, healthy or sick, is good for them. And teaching them that it is okay to be different than everyone else is a good thing. We can help them realize that it is okay to be happy for someone that has more in life than they do. Hopefully that encourages them to feel blessed about what their life looks like.
We can encourage them to not feel that they need to compare themselves to others. Learning about these things through a book gives kids the perfect way to experience these difficult things. They can learn how to handle them without actually experiencing them.
Examples of Cultural Differences
A great book that falls in this category is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. It is a loose autobiography of a young man who grew up on a reservation in Spokane, Washington. It details his struggles to stay there as well as his struggles with identity on choosing to leave.
For a totally different spin on cultural experience, I wholeheartedly recommend Who Was Princess Diana by Ellen Labrecque. It speaks to how she was born into a wealthy family. She grew up to become the most famous princess in the Western World. But yet her life was anything but easy.
She never faced poverty or hardship personally. But she worked with those who were impoverished all around the world. She faced struggles that could arguably be way more difficult than poverty or ill health. Much of the time her struggles were agonizingly difficult.
And this leads us straight to the next reason.
4. They Can Learn Resilience Through the Struggles of Characters
We can impart to kids at a pretty young age that everybody struggles. But we need to teach them a bigger lesson. They can learn that the issue is not necessarily the struggle itself. It is how to get through it that is the most important factor.
Show them ways to fight adversity with dignity and a GOOD fight. Show them that there is almost always a good way and a bad way to fight adversity.
Most people learn this lesson the hard way after many years. What if we could start teaching our kids about this from an early age? They may still choose the harder path over time, but they are at least better equipped to make a choice. This lesson alone could make this one of the top reasons that kids need literature.
This will be one of the students’ favorite reasons why they need literature because they will get to see how strong and resilient they can be, even at a young age. Sometimes kids think they are irrelevant and not able to be strong simply because they are not adults. Showing them that they can be strong and respectful and wise even at a young age is a magnificent lesson and one that they will treasure.
5. They Learn to Respect People that Live Different Lives Than Them
This point is also closely related to the third point in this article. But it is actually a valid point for anybody that students encounter, whether in books or in real life, from a different country or local. They can read books about characters and relate to them in positive ways. It doesn’t matter if the character being discussed is making decisions that are right or wrong. It also doesn’t matter if the character is making a decision that the student doesn’t agree with. In fact, that makes for perfect discussion. And that is why this one of the better reasons why students need literature–because this is a lesson they will use constantly the older they get. Learning it now sets them above and beyond the norm and equips them for life.
It is a great opportunity to teach the students how to respect people even if they don’t agree with what they are doing. It’s also a great opportunity to teach them how to graciously disagree with someone if they are faced with something that is blatantly wrong, and not just a judgment call.
I am not saying that they must respect anybody, regardless of whether they have done some really terrible things. I’m just saying that most people are generally just trying to do what they think is right or best most of the time. Respect and encouragement are great lessons to learn at an early age. But the better lesson is to learn them not just when it’s easy, but especially when it is difficult. But only when appropriate! That may be a lesson for another time.
6. It Helps Them to Learn About Empathy
Empathy is similar to respect in that you are walking a mile in someone’s shoes. Better understanding their circumstances enables you to relate to them in a better way. Empathy towards the people around us is a critical trait to have. But is is apparently one that can be in short supply these days.
So how do we teach kids that are conditioned to get what they need to stop looking inward and start looking outward toward others?
Dialog is always so important. Asking kids how they feel about someone is probably going to get a very direct answer, especially from younger students. But it gives you a foundation to gently guide their thoughts to stable ground.
It is easy to teach them to empathize with the character that is full of goodness. Their struggle is not from something they did that was bad but facing a trial that seems insurmountable at the moment. Conversation can flow easily when you ask them how they could possibly help someone facing the same trials as the character in the book. You can praise their heartfelt thoughts and even encourage ways to move even further towards helping a struggling person. If they aren’t sure how to answer make sure to have thoughts about this beforehand.
Showing empathy to someone who is struggling because of making bad choices (The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton comes to mind here) is a bit more challenging. It is a delicate balance between supporting someone but not supporting the wrongdoing. But what a rewarding lesson it will be! It is something that could very well remain with your students for their whole life.
7. Teaches Them Good vs. Evil
Good vs. evil is everywhere. It is in real life. It’s in the Bible. It’s in the movies. It is even in the Iliad and Odyssey. Actually, we might be hard pressed to find a place that it is not. Not counting Heaven or Hell.
When kids are very young, they tend to see the good in everything. It is pretty easy to block out evil, especially since their parents are most assuredly doing that for them.
That fact makes this one of the best reasons that students need literature. It is a really good way to introduce them to one of the toughest aspects of life. The best thing about it is that they are learning through situations that they don’t have to experience personally. There are so many places that they can see this lesson on a daily basis, but in literature the lessons are definitely bigger and more pronounced. That makes for much better conversation. It also makes kids able to pick up the nuances of good vs. evil more easily down the road.
I already brought up several places that you can use this lesson for kids. It can even come up in casual conversation, which can be the best way to reach kids. But one more really good example that you can use with your students is The Narnia Series for younger grades and Lord of the Rings for older grades. Both series work well in either secular or religious settings.
8. They Can Be Warned of the Consequences of Making Bad Choices
I know that I have already talked about discussion with the students more than any of the other regular stuff that we do in Complete Literature. But really, the bottom line is that no matter what extra special projects we are doing in literature to drive the application home, keeping the lines of communication open is going to be the thing that the kids remember the most.
They will remember the special games, the crafts, the awesome themed snacks, and even the homework assignments that allowed them to be creative and artistic. But what will stand out even more is the fact that the whole time they were doing those things in class you heard them. You listened to them and cared about what they had to say.
So in this next reason that students need literature, I want to talk about how they can be warned about consequences before they get themselves over their heads.
What Making Their Own Choices Looks Like
As time goes on, they will have to make their own choices. And inevitably, they will make the wrong choice. We all do. But talking about the choices that were made in the books they read and evaluating why the characters made the choices they did make for really productive conversation. Then being able to talk through the consequences that the characters ended up facing after the decision is a great way for kids to see cause and effect in action. They learn that everything they do results in a consequence and they can start learning reasoning skills related to that at a pretty early age. Babies are taught very quickly not to touch hot stoves or play in the road. So middle school students can very quickly learn less tactile lessons with some great discussion.
A bonus to this is that you will very much enjoy listening to the kids feelings/thoughts as they work through this real-life exercise.
9. They Can Be Inspired by a Hero/Heroine
Reading a book that features a hero or heroine is probably one of the biggest imagination-generators. Kids instantly start dreaming of themselves being in the battle. Their imagination takes them to partnerships with the hero, being able to help out the hero, taking the hero’s place once he is gone, and even being rescued by the hero.
A great conversation to have is how we can all be heroes every day in so many ways. Being proactive about helping people (without being told to!), talking about ways we can make the world a better place, and recognizing people in our own lives that are heroes in their own rights are great ways to help students realize what really makes a hero.
10. They Can Learn Different Solutions to Problems Than They Would Have Thought of
This is one of my favorites, because I can literally see the wheels turning in their heads as they work through this. I love seeing the inspiration in their face when they realize there were even more options than what they had already thought of and they loved those new options.
A perfect way to implement this is in a way that your students will clearly see how their decisions affect what happens next or even down the road. In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Eustace starts out making all the wrong decisions. His decisions are derived from jealousy and bitterness and meanness. He also hasn’t spent much time with other people in order to interact in healthy ways. So when he ends up spending the summer with the Pevensie children and faces life-threatening crazy adventure, he learns pretty quickly that personal responsibility in making good choices is critical. Of course, Eustace goes through some things that no child in your class will ever face. But the concepts remain the same.
Warning!
Sometimes what seems common sense to us is not to others, especially kids. And if they have not learned good decision-making skills, it will not automatically make sense to them. Younger kids (and sometimes older kids) are not thinking about consequences, but about what they want at the moment.
I am sure that most kids of school age have learned that certain things they do will render certain consequences. But most of them haven’t yet learned how even seemingly benign choices can cause a different path in life. Those don’t have to be bad–it could change life for the better or worse, and they may not be significant changes. But things do change based on decisions made.
All of this is not to say that we should scare kids into being fearful of choices that would bring them unbearable consequences. But it is a great opportunity to see them understand how life works a bit better. It will equip them to make harder decisions as they get older because they will have had experience already.
11. It Could Inspire Them to Choose a Career/Job Field
Kids spend a lot of time dreaming. Getting them to talk about those thoughts and dreams is even more rewarding than the dreaming. It allows them to collect their thoughts and gain support for their dreams. And an adult who hears them and chooses to encourage them in productive ways is worth even more than the books that got them there.
It’s pretty cool to hear stories about people who chose a job field based on a book they read as a child. It is so awesome to hear those stories from people who went on to become doctors, teachers, decorators, engineers, homemakers, or any of a number of great choices.
It would be pretty awesome to hear from older teachers who had the privilege of seeing where their former students ended up and what it was that inspired them to get there.
The next reason why students need literature is tied closely to this one.
12. It Can Help Them to Picture What They Might be Like as Adults
This goes a bit further than inspiration to choose a certain job field. This is a great reason why students need literature because it allows them to see themselves as a whole person. They can apply themselves to whatever aspect of their reading touches them. It can be a character’s background, behavior, thoughts, dreams, relationships, location, or literally anything.
We can all think of times that kids came up to us and said, “When I grow up, I’m going to _____.” This is the perfect opportunity to hear the aspirations of kids who are thinking about what their future is going to look like. Will it look like what they are thinking at the moment? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean that this type of thought isn’t greatly productive. And it will still shape their future greatly, even if they can’t predict their exact future and it likely won’t turn out exactly like they are thinking.
By inserting themselves into an adult character’s life, they can actually picture what their life could look like based on their life experiences combined with what they are reading. This is a great way for them to gain knowledge and wisdom without having to go through trials to get there.
Of course, we cannot guarantee that students will grow up to be totally reflective of themselves or choose the right pathways, but equipping them to be able to do so is as far as our job can take us.
13. It Helps Them Learn Ways to be in Better Relationship with Others
Kids can read a book and think about how they would have done things the same or differently than the protagonist. Or maybe there is a character in the background that resonates with them. They could think about how they would handle things if they were that person. Or they could even think about how they would help out that person or encourage them or be a friend to them.
On the flip side, they may read about an antagonist and react positively or negatively to how they would deal with whatever the situation is. In that case, you have two great avenues to guide them. The first is to praise a good decision they made in how they would deal either with the antagonist or the situation if they were the antagonist.
The second is to ask them some questions (non-interrogation style) as to how they came to the decision about how to handle the situation. The questions should be designed to help them form their train of thought in a way that lets them come to their own conclusion. This allows them to come to a better decision. But, even more importantly, it shows them how to guide their own train of thought for future decisions.
The possibilities are endless when kids start thinking about what they have read. And the best time to hear their thoughts is either while they are reading or right after. Their thoughts are fresh and easier for them to communicate during those times.
14. They May Develop a Lifelong Love of Reading
And here I have saved the best one of all for last!
I have had students that came into my class and immediately let me know that they were not fans of reading. My usual response was just to smile at them and let them know that some of my own kids felt the same way. What I didn’t tell them was that in the end just about everyone who finds a book that they actually do love will gain a love for reading. Some may just be a little pickier in which books they will read. At the end of the day, literally everyone can tell you about a book they read that was their favorite.
This is where the classroom is at a huge advantage in teaching a love for reading. Teachers have a captive audience, but they also have the ability to craft the literature program to what their current students love to do the most. Incorporating what they love into what they may not love at the moment (reading) could just turn the tide for the rest of their life.
Conclusion
Being paid to teach is a good thing. But almost nothing feels better than seeing a former student years later and hearing them tell you how something you did in that classroom years ago inspired them to change the course of their life, whether in some small or huge way.
I love to hear stories about how this has happened!
For an excellent list of the top ten middle school/young adult books click here.
I love this. I’ve always been a huge reader and I feel like it helped to shape who I am. Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Yes, Krysten. I feel the same. Reading has definitely shaped who I am.
Yes! Books are the best. My kids have always been surrounded by them. I think that’s so important.
I think everyone need literature. Even adults. I read a lot as a kid, but as a grown up, I don’t have as much time as I would like to have to read.
I have such a huge pile of books waiting to be read!!! I constantly read growing up but have a hard time finding time as an adult as well. Maybe someday!!!
I think it honestly goes without saying that kids/everyone needs literature for all of these reasons!! Thank you for emphasizing this!!! 🙂
Reading is always a good thing. My kids love reading at bedtime.
As an avid reader since childhood, I could not agree with this more! I still love reading and enjoy reading with my kids.
Me too, Jessica! Reading is awesome, reading with your kids is even more awesome!
Great points!! Most of these could also apply to movies, but books do have a few added points as you mentioned of bolstering imagination, and of course improving reading comprehension and spelling. My oldest is turning 7 soon and just starting to get into books, mostly comics and not especially educational stuff, but I’m hoping to introduce him to the magical world of Harry Potter soon!
That’s awesome, Heather! And those comic books could be the thing that makes him love reading tons of books for the rest of his life!
I love reading and I never understand how some people hate it. I have learnt a lot from reading books.
I feel the same way, but as it turns out, while most of my own children loved reading, a couple of them did not. I guess it just depends on the way we are wired.
Great article. I totally agree! Literature definitely helped me develop my creativity and open my mind to different perspectives. I believe that it’s important to also recommend literature that students are interested in, in order to keep them motivated.
Absolutely true, Candace. If you don’t catch them with literature they will like, then you have lost their attention from the beginning.
So many great reason why literature is great for kids. I like that it teaches empathy the most, a book usually puts you in the protagonist shoes which creates instant empathy.
Yes, Kiwi! Empathy is one of the most important lessons that children can learn. It will prepare them for a much smoother adulthood if they can walk alongside those that they brush shoulders with.
Every child should be thought to love reading. The main reason is, and you started with it, the developing of the vocabulary.
There are so many good reasons, Joanna! Thank you for weighing in!
I totally agree. My kids love to read. They are 6 and 10 and they have vocabulary that can rival even college students. Or even professionals.
Yes, Mommy Sigrid, reading makes such a huge difference in all the other language skills.
I’ve always loved reading and see it as a form of escapism
I enjoy reading so much, it’s a great relaxing activity and takes my mind off everyday problems.
Me too, HolyVeggies! If I could I would spend most of my time in a corner, snuggled up and reading. 🙂
Wow, so many great points here! Reading is definitely important as books can allow one to learn about seeing things in different perspectives.
I admit that I’m really not a book-ish person. But I’ve read some and most of them were fictional novels with adventure and magic related themes. However, I really do regret that I have read less books during my younger age yet here I want to be a content creator which actually I have been struggling because of my limited vocabulary.
So I definitely agree with you that young ones should start engaging in literature, it would really help them a lot in the future.
You are right, Loise. But it’s also never too late. And your writing is good now–it will improve even more with time and more reading! Thank you for sharing that with me. ♥
I love to read, its always been a passion for me since I learned how to read! I hope to instill my love of reading in my nephew as well.
I really think that you will instill that in him. I can picture you sitting him on your lap to read to him. 🙂 ♥
It’s true, reading is more than escaping to a wonderland. There are many lessons to be learned if we just open a book and really look at the message the author is sending. Thank you for the book recommendations.
Reading is so important for learning. Thanks for the information so I can motivate my kids to read more
This made me realize how lucky I was to grow up in a ridiculously literate household. You make great arguments and made me realize some of the luck I had growing up. Thank you!
That’s awesome! Thank you for sharing!
I grew up reading literature and yes I 100% agree with you, it helped shaped me in so many ways…Literature is a must for students there is no doubt about it.
I couldn’t agree more! Reading is so important and beneficial for soooo many reasons. I especially appreciate how you pointed out that it helps kids to learn empathy. That is something every child needs to learn!
I agree, Empathy seems to be becoming a lost art.
I do believe that literature should be a part of every student. and we are all students, regardless of age. It teaches us a lot of things that we can apply in our own lives.
Literature teaches visualization and formation of one’s own perspective. These two skills come in handy for the rest of our lives.
I agree with you that students can benefit in numerous ways from literature. They should be aware of this fact and it’s our task to inform them of these reasons! 🙂
Excellent post. I love to hear of kids reading as I don’t think enough do nowadays. My nieces certainly don’t but I’d love to get them into the joys of reading.
I know, seriously, it’s so hard to separate them from their devices. Once I get my kids away from them they are fine. But it is so hard at first.
As someone who was a humanities major (specifically English Literature), I strongly support these reasons. My worldview has expanded greatly as my professors introduced us to other cultures, cultures I never would have experienced otherwise.
I was, and still am, a big literature nerd in school, so I totally don’t understand why kids don’t love it! You’ve listed some important points; bolstering imagination and empathy is vital.
I have always been a literature nerd myself, lol. But I guess you can probably tell by my website. I never grew out of it!
Literature should be a part of every students lives because it teaches us a lot of things that are applicable to real life.
This is so true! Students can learn more from literature than regular textbooks because they see these things being lived out and not just facts spewed at them.
These are all great reasons! I love to read and literature is a big part of my life. I also try to share this with my kids as much as possible. I try to read to them everyday.
Thank you, Carrie! You and your kids will love the one I am finishing up tonight! I will be publishing soon!
sounds like a great tool to have anything that offers a helping hand is great in my opinion
It’s so true — presenting children with literature is so important! It’s beneficial in the long run.
These are all great points. I’ve actually had discussions about literature and brought up a few of these. I’ve always viewed literature as more than reading. Reading the classics is a combination of reading, history, social studies, and more when you get right down to it.
I totally agree that literature is so important and necessary for children! I am going to have to check out these books now!
Kileen
cute & little
My daughter loves to read, and I recognize all these valid points you make about what reading can do and how this benefits children/students. This is a list that every parent and student should read. Thank you for sharing this!
Wow this is such great info, It is so important to teach your kids the right way. I still try and learn everyday.
Literature is great at every age. I would have struggled to come up with 24 reasons for kids to engage but you make your points well.
This is really cool and spot on. I developed a love for reading at an early age. I don’t do as much of it now as I did then, but to this day I remember fondly several of my favorite heroes, books, etc.
My girls have loved reading since they were very small. It’s definitely done wonders for their imagination!
I agree with you. Students need literature, but they need to be taught to feel, not to think logically on a subject. I believe it’s when literature brings to them imagination and creation.
I agree with these and not just for kids but also for adults. I always read things that interests me.
Students definitely need literature because it could help them learn better about the things around them and about many more things as well, this was a nice summary of all the benefits it could give, thanks for sharing these with us!
Literature is one of the subject that I love the most because it gives me a lot information about the culture and traditions not only by my own country but also the other country/tries.
Wow! This is such a thorough article you’ve posted for us and I loved it. Literature is so important as it help individual to develop sense of good and humility.
good point about cultural differences. i learned so much about other people groups and areas of the world by reading.
I agree with you, I always find it interesting learning cultures about different countries , hopefully they find it interesting as I did.
I think literature is enriching and very helpful to grow as a person
These all points are damn true..literature, reading books helps a person especially in self development…well glad to know that you shared this with us..great work though…
Yes to all of this! My mom is retired English teacher and reading is so important!!
Such a great article thank you for sharing, so many great points made!
Reading is a powerful way to expand our acceptance of the world and connecting to others.
Literature is really important to all of us. Teaching them to respect different lives is a good way to accept all kinds of people in the world.
My father was a journalist so I had access to a huge library at home at an early age. Literature is definitely great for kids and I owe my success today to being a voracious reader of literature when I was growing up!
I agree. It Expands Vocabulary and Communication Skills. It’s very helpful now especially during pandemic.
I love books , It has been my best friend while growing up !
Wow! I never thought about how literature shapes young minds like this. You sound like an awesome teacher!
Nnniiiiccceeeee….if there is anything that I ever loved and picked from studying literature, it was and is, “They Learn to Respect People that Live Different Lives Than Them”. I realise the world is so much bigger than I have been “told” it is.
This is exactly why I am introducing my kids to literature at a young age! IT’s so important.
Yes I 100% agree with this, it is great for both their imagination and also creativity. Additionally helps to express yourself x
Literature is one f my favorite subject when I was in college. I found it very interesting it gives me so much imagination.
I didn’t appreciate it enough as a child. I am glad I came around! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. 🙂
Great post. So many benefits for kids. I agree. Also better to start them at a young age too.
reading is so important. these are great tips.
I love how you mention that literature helps students imagine what they may be like as adults. I never really put that together, but now looking back I remember reading as a kid, and subconsciously dividing characters into categories of “wow, this could be me one day” and “this will never be me.”
I did the same exact thing, Jessie! It really does help us to dream and picture ourselves as we grow up!