Increasingly students do not seem to be completing or even attempting to complete course reading assignments (Johnson, 2019). This lack of student engagement with academic reading has been variously attributed to the distractions of digital technologies, learning loss associated with school closures during COVID-19, curricular changes in K12 reading instruction, student motivation and effort, as well as student work and family commitments. Any, and all, of these factors may play a role, however it is also evident that many students simply lack the reading skills to meet the demands of college level disciplinary reading (Well, 2025); even students themselves report that they struggle to understand their academic course readings (Hollander et al., 2022). Concerningly many students have begun to bypass critically reading academic texts altogether by using AI tools to generate summaries of their course materials (Bharadwaj et al., 2022). Larger enrollment foundational classes are often the context in which students first encounter disciplinary based reading expectations that include unfamiliar vocabulary and text formats. Instructors can support students, even in these large enrollment contexts, by setting the stage and thoughtfully addressing their course goals for reading, by helping students begin the semester with a basic understanding of what reading effectively means for your class, and by intentionally building reading skills into their course activities and assignments.
Strategies
Setting the Stage
Consider how your expectations for reading align with your course learning objectives. The goals for reading vary across different disciplines and course contexts: For example, do you expect students to identify arguments and weigh evidence, to read “across” multiple texts for major themes or ideas, to situate readings within specific historical periods, to master unfamiliar content and disciplinary vocabulary, or to relate theoretical concepts to applied settings? Critical reading is dependent on having a clear understanding and purpose for reading. Share with your students what you expect them to read for, why you chose the readings or texts for this class and how reading along with attending class sessions and completing assessments supports their learning:
- Discuss course readings and expectations early in the semester.
- Include a section on what reading means in your discipline on the syllabus (see included Resources below for disciplinary-based reading approaches).
- Review your current AI syllabus statement and integrate language reflecting your expectations for the use of AI to summarize and paraphrase course readings.
Navigating the Course Readings
Discuss with students how they should navigate the course readings to find the information they need. Students who understand the organization and structure of the texts used in your course will be more successful readers.
Textbooks can be overwhelming in the density of material they present. Review how the textbook is organized and discuss how students should approach reading within the textbook.
Should they review figures or formulas first and then look to the text for further information?
Let students know which sections of the textbook you don’t think are useful (i.e. chapter review questions, case studies).
How should they approach unfamiliar vocabulary? Academic discipline-based vocabulary can be challenging; textbooks often contain glossaries which can be useful to students.
- Primary sources within the disciplines typically adopt specific writing styles, genres, or formats. Many empirical articles in the sciences organize articles based on introduction, methods, results and discussions. Explaining what information is included in each of these sections can help students organize their reading. Other primary source materials could include, among others, letters, essays, poems or novels all of which have their own structure which can guide the reader. See resources below for overviews on reading within specific disciplines.
Class Activities and Assignments
Integrating regular reading-related activities and assignments can scaffold students’ engagement with the course readings.
Reading prompts support reading comprehension by helping students practice reading with a specific focus or goal in mind. Reading prompts can take many forms. It is useful to provide feedback to students but not necessarily to individually grade responses:
- Use module or chapter learning outcomes – Both instructor-designed or textbook-based prompts can offer guidance to students on what aspects of the reading are important. Reminding students to use these chapter learning outcomes before they read will reinforce the value of completing reading assignments.
- Add reading hooks. Specific reading prompts for upcoming reading assignments can be posted on the class PPT lecture notes or included with the reading assignments. Refer to these prompts in later class lectures, in class think pair share activities, or iClicker questions.
Making connections across different texts (i.e. across a collection of research articles, between the textbook and a blogpost, a newspaper review and a scholarly book) pushes students to be more engaged and active in their reading by challenging them to create meaning (Wilner, 2020). Instructors can explore ways to include different genres or types of readings by supplementing reading assignments based on the primary textbook with shorter alternative readings, or explicitly asking students to make connections across different textbook chapters. When students are asked to “put pieces together” they are more likely to actively engage with the readings. : For example: In what ways does the discussion of prenatal development in Chapter 3 contribute to your understanding of nature vs. nurture in presented in Chapter 1? and Why do the authors of these two empirical articles differ in their perspectives on the literature presented in their introduction sections?
Annotating a text, unlike notetaking, prompts students to pause and communicate their ideas about the text. Collaborative annotation enhances reading comprehension, promotes critical thinking about the text, and contributes to perspective taking. Many instructors have adopted Perusall, a digital social annotation tool integrated with Canvas, to engage student engagement in course readings and their comprehension.
References
- Bharadwaj, P., Shaw, C., NeJame, L., Martin, S., Janson, N., & Fox, K. (203, June) Time for Class – 2023. Tyton Partners.com/time-for-class-2023.
- Hollander, P., Dawson, D., Haller, C., Briesacher, E., Collins, C., Rearick, K., and Lemieux, E. (2022). The importance of college reading: Professors’ and students’ views. Journal of Effective Teaching in Higher Education, 5(1), 90 – 109.
- Johnson, S. (April 21, 2019). The Fall, and Rise, of Reading. Chronicle of Higher Education.
- Well, T. (March 11, 2025). The reading crisis in college. Psychology Today Education Blog Post.
- Wilner, A. F. (2020). Rethinking reading in college. National Council of English Teachers. Champaign, Illinois.
Resources on reading within specific disciplines
- Borst, A. & DiYanni, R.; Eds. (2020). Critical reading across the curriculum. Volume 2, Social and natural sciences.
- Hoboken, NJ: Blackwell. DiYanni, R., & Borst, A.; Eds. (2017). Critical reading across the curriculum. Volume 1, Humanities.
- Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. UC Berkeley’s Graduate Division Teaching & Resource Center provides specific guidelines for reading across various disciplines including Humanities and Natural and Social Sciences.
