Must I read books to improve my vocabulary and grammar?

Question

I have a major problem. I can't really decide what I should do.In school, I'm in an english performance class. We're going to read some books, and already are reading "To Kill A Mockingbird", but I'm not really interested in them. I know that it would be a nice challenge to read them, not just to meet and greet new words, also, to be better at grammar things. Still, I think the books are boring, really boring. Until now, I just read summaries of books we read. I just read these to keep pace with my class, so I can still participate in class. I recently asked my teacher about it, and she was surprisingly shocked that I'm *not* reading. "If you don't do it, you won't be able to pass your A levels since you won't have learned to use grammar properly!", she said. Is she right that I miss some important things, if I won't read books like "Othello", "Lord Of The Flies", or "To Kill A Mockingbird"?

Answer 1

I hate to say it but your teacher is right. You've been very lucky to have gotten by on reading summaries of the books you're studying. The thing is you don't have to read books you're not interested in, you need to find books that you are interested in. Do you have hobbies that you'd like to know more about? Lots of movies are based on books, maybe that could get you involved. You do need to read the books that are assigned. You could read with a friend who is also reading the book, or get a study group together. Sometimes it helps comprehension to listen to your book as you read it.

One other thing is, do you have a problem reading or understanding the books you're reading? If that's the case, you could talk to your parents or your school counselor so you could get extra help and learn strategies to help with your reading.

If you choose to go to college, writing is most important and if you don't know how to punctuate and use correct grammar you will have difficulty passing. I don't want to leave you sounding like Debby Downer, but I want to impress upon you the importance of reading, and asking for help if you need it. Hope this helps, I'd be happy to hear from you anytime.

Answer 2

I have an answer which may surprise you. But before I give my answer, think honestly about why you don't really read the books and why you think they are boring. Is the reading level too hard? Is the sentence structure different than your way of speaking? Do you have difficulty comprehending or seeing the big picture in fiction? Your answers to these questions could alter my response. But for now, here goes.

No, you don't have to read books to improve vocabulary and grammar. And my personal opinion is that getting an A or moving to an advanced level is irrelevant. And certainly how many worksheets are required is irrelevant. You can improve vocabulary by "reading" a dictionary or practicing challenging spelling words. You can improve grammar by working through a grammar text. Or try writing exercises using a workbook like Sentence Mastery. You can even read brief plot summaries or watch movies to get the gist of a book. However, you would be missing out on practicing higher level thinking, such as analysis and synthesis if you shortcut. Are you able to see the big picture yourself? You sound like a very detail-oriented person.

To Kill a Mockingbird is an amazing book. The themes alone make it worth reading. So many awesome social issues to think about. As you read, take a side. Perhaps try to put yourself in the shoes of the aunt, or Calpurnia the maid, or the girl with the abusive dad. And who really is Boo? When the characters come alive, even a boring book becomes more interesting.

Great question!

Answer 3

Jon, I get where you're coming from. I had the same problem in school, but I grew out of it once I saw reading as something I could do on my own without the pressure of having to get a grade or make my teacher happy.

The books you referred to (Lord of the Flies, and To Kill a Mockingbird) are great stories. Lord of the Flies is a nifty tale about youngsters who have to go back to tribalism. To Kill a Mockingbird is a story about sad racial injustice told by a young girl named Scout. Othello is about the insecurity of jealousy and its tragic circumstances. (Yeah, Shakespeare is hard to get into. I get that.)

As to how your grammar and vocabulary skills will be affected by your lack of reading, I won't dispute your teacher, who obviously is looking after your interests. I would advise you that if you're having trouble getting into literature, read about it. There are summaries on the web that will help you understand and take the boredom out of having to figure out characters, plot, and all that stuff that goes into understanding them.

In the meantime, know that reading just makes the mind work better in developing language skills. It just does.