It’s no secret that in recent years students are reading less and less. Technology has made it easier to rely on short snippets of text to acquire information, be it a brief headline or an Instagram caption. Even the SAT reading section has diminished to short paragraphs of two to four sentences.

This phenomenon has made students wonder at the value of reading at all, let alone classics. Students ask: “How will this help me in the real world? How am I supposed to relate to something written over one hundred years ago? Isn’t this story a little problematic? This is long! AI can just conjure up a quick synopsis.”

While it can be easy to give in to their whims and work with short passages and news articles, we can’t lose sight of the value associated with reading whole novels. In a world of quick dopamine hits of video game playthroughs, reels, choreographed dances, and fast fashion trends, students are silently screaming for substance. Classic novels could be the solution, providing students with patience, imagination, nuance, focus, and an appreciation for common human problems that span centuries.

However, we can’t just expect students who have been reading short form content to dive right into a novel with complex language, sweeping descriptions, and coded symbolism. Here are some ways to scaffold a classic novel into your busy classroom while keeping your restless students invested.

1. Reading Aloud Isn’t Just for Kindergarten

Classics are often intimidating because of their length and formidable vocabulary, but sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Reading the first chapter aloud can help students get invested in the story and set the stage for imagining the story’s world when they read independently later.

To enhance reading aloud, give students a guided annotation worksheet to take notes on important motifs, foreshadowing, and literary devices. Stop and visualize lengthy scenery descriptions with them or give character dialogue distinct voices.  If you’re tackling something like a Shakespeare play, you can show examples of the first scene or act to illustrate the cadence of dialogue and how the characters interact.

Once students get immersed in the story’s world, continuing reading becomes less of a challenge.

2. Scaffold Novels with an Approachable Introduction

Sometimes the right introduction to a unit makes all the difference. Begin the novel with a hook that students can’t resist. It doesn’t have to be “relatable;” it could just break down the intimidating parts into digestible or creative context.

For example, if Shakespeare’s language seems daunting, start with sonnets to expose students to it in bite-sized pieces. If The Great Gatsby’s character descriptions are too lengthy, ask students to “fancast” them—cast a celebrity they think should play the character in a movie. This helps students move forward with a clear visual for these characters.

Students could also create a collage or generate an image using the description of the setting to help them build the world in their heads. The point is to break down the book into smaller pieces and then let students visualize a bigger picture they can invest in.

3. Universal Human Problems: Pair A Novel with a Real-World Issue

If the words “relevance” and “problematic” are frequently uttered in your classroom, lean into it. Although some ideas, phrases, and words in classics can be woefully outdated, many of their themes and messages are universal to human experience.

Frankenstein is a warning against overstepping the bounds of science. Use it to discuss the ramifications of AI, genetic testing, or other controversial scientific studies. Fahrenheit 451 explores the idea of controlling governments and censorship, so pair it with a persuasive essay on book banning.

While some parts of classics can be problematic, it is important for students to be able to interact with perspectives outside of their own and articulate how things have changed, or can change, for the better.

4. Don’t Fear Discussion Circles

Kids love to talk, so use their chattiness to build those public speaking skills. Give students a list of discussion questions that prompt multiple opinions from the chapters they’ve read. Make sure they have evidence from the text to back up their opinions.

These questions don’t have to be plot based all the time. Ask students if they can think of any parallels to Animal Farm besides the Soviet Union. Ask them if they can relate to Holden Caulfield, or if they can’t stand him. Ask them if they believe Macbeth is guilty or if fate tragically drove him to madness. 

These questions don’t have to have a fully “correct” answer, and asking students to back their opinions with evidence will help weed out wildcard explanations. You’ll be surprised at the answers you get when you let students think outside the box and argue their answers. They often arrive at creative interpretations.

5. Use A Classic to Boost Vocabulary Exposure

Reading in context is one of the most important skills flexed from reading a whole novel. Students track how a character’s arc grows over time, something that is lost when only reading a small excerpt. Vocabulary can be similarly tracked.

Choose a few difficult words that seem to pop up frequently in the first few chapters. Ask students to associate those words with a specific character and see if the word’s meaning grows over time.

Alternatively, to make the novel more approachable, students can take a complicated or descriptive passage and rewrite it in more modern language. Students can then keep a list of new vocabulary that is paired with a modern word they can associate with it.

Classic Literature for Today’s Students

Ultimately, adding context, accessibility, and relevance to the classics will make students more eager to see what happens next. 

Reading a whole novel, though intimidating, is one of the best investments you can make in your students’ growing mind, and not just in ELA. Classics allow students to listen to new perspectives, understand the value of nuance and context, and empathize with a character’s journey.

Prestwick House’s Literary Touchstone Classics offer a valuable and affordable way to incorporate literature into your classroom. Our Touchstones not only offer the classic stories students will learn to love, but also helpful reading pointers, introductions providing historical context, and glossaries for new vocabulary. With over 70 titles to choose from, our wide array of selections should meet the needs of any classroom wanting to dive into the classics.