Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Nonacademic Effects of Homework in High Schools

Granted. But the amount of reading that can be covered by an audiobook in a 40-minute class period seems reasonable for middle schoolers. Then they could go on to actually DISCUSSING the material, if they could assume most of the kids had read it.

I see your point: they shouldn't be expected to complete 40 minutes of assigned reading in one class every single day, since they also have other classes. It does seem to me that assigning reading to be done at home once or twice a week is reasonable, though; why should reading always be done in class and writing always at home? The kids aren't even allowed to bring the books home for reference; we have to check them out of the city library, or buy them because other classmates got to the library first.