College Reading and Studying: The Complexity of Academic Literacy Task Demands

Over a century of research on postsecondary learning has documented that students often struggle with the academic literacy demands of college. Academic literacy tasks are the subset of all academic tasks that involve reading and writing and are rooted within larger cultural practices. These demands are challenging, complex, and varied, so students need help preparing before they enter college. Although there are many reasons why preparing students for academic literacy tasks is difficult, there are some ways that educators can help. The author discusses the academic literacy demands in college by examining some of the reasons why it is difficult to fully prepare students and several ways that educators can help students on the path toward college readiness.