Every year, my writing program hosts a summer seminar in which faculty members introduce new teaching strategies (e.g., what is ungrading and how does it work?) and share insights on new problems (e.g., how to manage student use of ChatGPT in college writing). This year, a colleague and I presented on a big and growing problem with teaching writing to the current generation of college students: They don't read.

The Chronicle of Higher Education featured an article on this topic recently.

I begin every freshman writing class by getting to know my students (our classes are small, which encourages discussion). I ask who likes to write and who doesn't; what are their writing habits and hacks; what was their experience with writing in high school, and more.

I also ask them, what's the best way to get better at writing? Invariably, they say, write more. In fact, that's the second-best way, I say. The best way to get better at writing is to read more. They don't like this. I hear things like, "I haven't read a book in ten years!" and "I haven't read a book since 6th grade!" or even, "I've never read a book."

This sounds crazy, I know. How can someone graduate from high school and get accepted into college without having read a book in years (or ever)? I have some theories, bolstered by recent research (see references below):

1) Technology: Generation Z (now in college) grew up with Google, cell phones, and social media, all of which provide quick and easy hits of........

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