Occasionally, a news story surfaces contending that Dutch secondary school students are not interested in literature classes. However, recent research by Jeroen Dera (researcher at RICH at Radboud University) shows that most upper-secondary school students consider compulsory literature reading to be justified. However, their motivation for this is remarkably one-sided: students see literature primarily as a means of improving their language skills, concentration and general reading proficiency.
Research among HAVO and VWO students
For the study, which is part of Dera's Veni project Uses of literature in the classroom, 1,641 HAVO and VWO students completed a questionnaire about the relevance they perceive in reading literature, both at school and in their free time. The results show that in the school setting, students are strongly focused on qualifications: literary reading is seen – even by non-readers – as useful primarily because it contributes to general reading skills, and because it provides knowledge. Personal and socio-ethical justifications, such as relaxation, empathy development or broadening horizons, are found to be much less convincing reasons for reading literature at school.
Difference between school reading and leisure reading
Furthermore, the study shows that there is a sharp divide between school reading and leisure reading. While enthusiastic leisure-readers are strongly focused on relaxation and also see literature as a way to escape reality for a while, they find such justifications much less appropriate for reading at school. However, they do find arguments that appeal to the development of social or ethical engagement more convincing than their peers who rarely pick up a book.
Teachers underestimate student perspectives
Dera's research also shows that teachers underestimate the persuasiveness of most arguments for reading literature. Strikingly, this also applies to the argument that reading literature can enhance concentration. Dera: 'In that sense, this study underlines the need to broaden the discussion about the why of literature education in the classroom. Many students do understand that it is important to read books for school. But when you consider how functional the arguments they find most convincing are, it becomes clear that we need to do a better job of showing them what they actually gain from reading literary texts.