Why don’t you read? A lesson for students
Another post from my Patreon that I thought might be useful to others. After all, we are all faced with many who have deselected reading as something they spend time on, either by choice or by circumstance. And those kids, or adults, have more than likely had a lot of well-meaning adults try to help them reconnect with reading. But have we really dug into why? And not just in a one question on a survey kind of way. So if you are looking for some inspiration, perhaps these thoughts can help.
My students are supposed to read 20 or so minutes a day. Maybe yours are too.
Most of them don’t.
They go to afterschool care, play video games, play with friends—do all the things kids tend to do when they have full and busy lives. Many also don’t seem too bothered by their lack of outside reading.
Reading is, after all, just something you do in school for school.
It’s remarkable, even at the 2nd-grade level, how vast the difference is between the kids who read regularly and those who don’t. Those who read for discovery outside of class grow by leaps and bounds in class. They bring in words, ideas, connections that weren’t part of a lesson plan but are now shaping their learning anyway. It shows the benefits of having a literate life and what can happen when someone is not given that same opportunity.
Those who haven’t found a lot of reading joy yet—or whose parents don’t help them make time for reading (or force them to in some instances)—are growing too. But it’s different. More halting. There’s more confusion, more gaps to fill, more knowledge to simply encounter as they grow their brains.
So as always, I am curious.
Why not?
Why is it that despite their access to books, their reading time at school, their exposure to true reading role models, and all of the good things that come with that, they still don’t read?
Is it choice? Is it life circumstances?
So this is the core of today’s discussion: Why don’t you read?
Not just a question to be answered in five minutes and moved on from. But a conversation, something to be worked with, to be shared, to be understood. What are the actual barriers that stop you—not just from reading, but from enjoying it?
And if reading isn’t a struggle for you, if you already carve out time for books, then what’s your question for reflection?
Here is my idea for the lesson, every student gets one of the posters, or you display it so everyone can read it.
Why Don’t You Read?A Flowchart for Figuring It Out
Every student has paper or their notebook to reflect in.
Do you read outside of school?
YES! → What has helped you build that habit? What do you wish more people knew about reading? What’s a book you wish someone would pick up? No… not really. → Let’s figure out why.
Is that really true?
Do you scroll on your phone? Do you rewatch the same YouTube videos? Do you lie in bed awake, waiting to fall asleep? Do you sit in the car, on the bus, waiting for things to start?
If so…
Try a 5-minute read—set a timer and stop when it dings. Audiobooks count. Can you listen while doing something else? Carry a book with you and grab small moments while waiting. Swap one round of social media, one video, one game level for a page.
If not… Reading doesn’t have to be daily—what if you just picked one time per week?
What’s the last thing you liked? A movie? A game? A TV show? A meme?
Now match it. Like action? Try graphic novels or fast-paced adventure books. Like funny things? Try books that make people laugh (even if it’s just ridiculous facts). Like facts? Nonfiction books exist about EVERYTHING. Even weird stuff. Especially weird stuff. Hate long books? Short stories, poetry, or “choose your own adventure” books count.
Still not sure? Let someone else pick for you—friends, a teacher, even a random shelf grab. Worst case? You don’t like it and try something else.
What’s going on in your head right before you try to read? Just came off screen time? Feeling stressed or distracted? Can’t sit still?
Try helping your brain shift gears: Move first—walk, stretch, or shake it out. Do something calming before reading (drawing, deep breaths, fidgeting). Start tiny: Read for 2 minutes only. Then decide if you want to keep going.
What is your reading space actually telling your brain? “Time to relax”? “Time to scroll”? “Snack time”? “Get up and do something”?
Change the signal: Play soft music or use headphones. Light a candle or turn on a lamp you only use for reading. Wrap yourself in a blanket or sit somewhere totally new—even under a table!
What happened right before you tried to read? A fight? Rushing from one thing to another? Feeling overwhelmed?
Make space for calm first: Pick a spot that feels safe and yours. Pause and take 3 deep breaths or journal for 1 minute. Let yourself off the hook—it’s okay to reset and try again later.
What’s making you hide your reading? Afraid of being judged for what you like? Embarrassed to be seen reading at all?
Make reading yours again: Read somewhere private or where no one bothers you. Own what you like—comics, sports facts, scary stories, whatever. Know this: Many who love reading started by maybe liking something others didn’t expect.
Have you ever read something you liked? Yes → What was it? Why did you like it? What’s similar to that? No → Are you sure? Not even a weird fact? A joke book? A book that made you feel something?
Options to make it better: Try a different format—graphic novels, audiobooks, books with amazing visuals. Try stopping—if you hate a book, pick another. Life’s too short for bad books. Try making it social—buddy read, listen to a book with someone, or join a book-related challenge. Try a weird book. (Weird books are never boring.)
What’s the hardest part? The words? The length? The focus?
Solutions: Words are tricky? Graphic novels, page turners, novels in verse, or audiobooks might help. (You can get free access to audiobooks through the library!) Books feel too long? Try short stories or poetry. Hard to focus? Set a timer, read in small bursts, or listen to the book instead. Read with someone else. A friend, sibling, teacher, or even your pet.
Why? Because it feels like work? Because you think you “should” but don’t actually care? Because you don’t see the point?
Reframing it: Reading doesn’t have to be a big commitment. What if it was just one page, one laugh, one cool fact? You don’t have to feel like a “reader” to enjoy a good story—what’s something you love or something you want to know more about? There’s a book about it. What if reading wasn’t about school, but about escaping, understanding, or just killing time in a way that actually sticks with you? No rules. No pressure. Just curiosity—what’s the last thing that made you go, “Huh, that’s interesting”? There’s probably a book for that. Forget “should.” What if you just picked up a book with no expectation to finish? Just to see.
Your questions: What has helped you build a reading habit? Have you ever had a reading slump? How did you get out of it? What book do you think would change someone’s mind about reading? How can you help others who don’t love reading yet?
Closing Reflection
One final written reflection or class discussion:
What is one idea from today that you want to try?What might that look like?Who is your accountability partner?Why This Approach?It acknowledges real barriers instead of just saying “read more.”It gives choice and control back to students.It makes room for both struggling and committed readers to reflect meaningfully.It creates a community of readers where those who love books can help those who don’t—without making it feel like a lecture.What do you think? Is this something you can use?
