Reading plays a crucial role in classroom learning, forming the foundation for developing comprehension, expression, and critical thinking skills. Through classroom reading, students interact with texts in a shared and structured environment, which helps them better understand ideas, language use, and cultural contexts. 

English teacher, Geoff Crosson, explained his reasons for choosing The Crucible as classroom reading material. He believes that drama is very suitable for classroom teaching because it has strong plot conflicts and character tension, which naturally attracts students to participate in classroom activities. 

Crosson pointed out that role-playing provides students with a sense of participation, allowing them to become active participants rather than mere observers, truly entering into the story. “I’ve always liked using drama as the beginning of a course because we can do role-playing, allowing all students to participate,” explained Crosson. He also mentioned, “This is a very dramatic work, and it also reflects a dark period in American history; students are usually deeply attracted to the story.”

In terms of classroom organization, Crosson emphasized the importance of student autonomy. He allows students to choose roles based on their interests and continuously adjust them during the reading process, thereby reducing reading anxiety and improving the classroom atmosphere. “Students can choose the roles they are interested in reading, and they can change roles every day until they find their favorite one,” said Crosson.  He further explained the role of reading aloud in understanding the work, believing that reading aloud helps students understand character emotions and plot development more intuitively. He said, “Reading aloud makes the drama a ‘living experience’.”

From the student’s perspective, classroom reading also has positive significance. Students are more likely to concentrate and participate in classroom activities in a good reading environment. “I really like reading in English class because in the classroom reading environment, I can read more attentively and be more engaged,” said sophomore Alvin Tsai.

Through role-playing, teacher-student interaction, and collaborative learning, classroom reading helps students better understand the text, characters, and historical context, and is an important component of classroom learning.