Literature and Standardized Testing

Claire Needell Hollander, a middle school teacher in Manhattan, writes, “Of course no teacher disputes the necessity of being able to read for information. But if literature has no place in these tests, and if preparation for the tests becomes the sole goal of education, then the reading of literature will go out of fashion in our schools. I don’t have any illusions that adding literary passages to multiple-choice tests would instill a love of reading among students by itself. But it would keep those books on the syllabus, in the classrooms and in the hands of young readers — which is what really matters.” Her full opinion piece, “Teach the Books, Touch the Heart,” can be read on NYTimes.