Welcome to Spring Semester! This blog is the place for you to access
online readings and post your discussion comments and questions. Links
to the readings are in the sidebar.
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Okay....to start us off, here is the link to your first reading, "Twilight of the Books" by Caleb Crain. Please read it and come prepared to write about it and discuss in class! Enjoy!
I liked the article, I liked the history in it. One thing that really stood out to me was "reading is not natural" do you find reading comes more naturally to you?
ReplyDeleteMadeline, it stood out to me as well because I never considered it. This guy obviously looked into it! I guess I think that reading comes naturally to me, but I don't really remember what it was like to learn it for the first time anyway. (probably most people don't)
Delete-Cailyn H.
For me, it depends on what the author is writing about. If it is something complicated or uninteresting to me, like quantum physics or Game of Thrones, then it seems like a foreign language. If it is something I enjoy and I can understand the material then it seems to come naturally.
Delete-Dusty Hinze
Dusty,
DeleteI am the same way! If the subject is interesting to me, I can read it all day!
Kaylee c
Madeline, the same thing stood out to me as well. Personally I don't mind reading, but I don't read often in my free time. People These days would rather sit on the couch and see what's on rather than read a book or do something active in general.
ReplyDeleteParris S.
At the beginning of the article, I felt like the whole thing was going to be statistics because Crain used SO many that it kind of overwhelmed me. Did anyone feel the same way?
ReplyDelete-Cailyn H.
I personally felt the same way. I highlighted them all because I thought we would have to write about them in class.
Delete-Cimmarron L.
I felt the same way as well, I thought Crain did a good job of backing up his article with a lot of statistical facts.
Delete- Bryson M.
I agree he used a lot of facts that were necessary to the article to back up his opinion.
Delete-Hope F
There are obvious different forms of reading like social media and Alexander Dumat. Is there anything we are not gaining from reading novels that we are in reading social media? I am not talking about social contact by the way.
ReplyDelete-Cimmarron L.
I really enjoyed the history of reading that Crain brings into the piece. Yet, I get the feeling that he pushes the idea that reading is a dying form of art. Did anyone get the same feeling?
ReplyDelete- Hope F.
Yes I did. I liked the history that he told, but he was rather pushy in his article.
DeleteIt was good to know the history, even though it felt almost like it as a lot to take in. I felt like he was being a little pushy too.
Delete- Melanie H.
I thought it was interesting when Crain stated that people who are unemployed, or have a lower paying job, tend to be more illiterate. Do you guys think that unemployment and lower paying jobs really contribute to people being illiterate?
ReplyDelete- Bryson M
I think that unemployment and lower paying jobs can definitely contribute to people being illiterate. There are many people who are unemployed who just depend on welfare and are not motivated to become more literate and try to get a good paying job.
Delete-Saurab Deepak
I felt rather judgmental when I agreed with the author when he related poverty and unemployment to a lack of literacy skills, but he does have a solid point in my opinion. Do you guys feel the same, or do you feel as if he is spitting out prejudice statements with no actual proof?
ReplyDelete- Jonathan M.
I can understand where he is coming from in saying unemployment and poverty is related to a lack of literacy skills. Crain does makes it sound as if anyone who is unemployed and living in poverty is lacking in literacy. Maybe for those people all they do is read cause its an inexpensive entertainment.
DeleteI think that Crain used some valid points to back up his article especially how he used facts from history. Did anyone else think that the article was a tad redundant?
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I thought was interesting is Crain pointed out that there is a decline with people actually discussing what they read with someone. I wouldn't say there is a decline with discussing reading material. Does anybody else think the same thing?
ReplyDelete- Melanie H.
As someone who reads a lot, I definitely think there is a decline in people discussing reading material. I dont ever have conversations with people about books im reading. People would rather spend time discussing TV shows and movies now days.
Delete-Saurab Deepak