Key points:
When students become literacy influencers, reading turns a task into a class into a global conversation.
When adolescents take the microphone
Recent studies show that reading for fun among adolescents is at its lowest level. According to the National evaluation of educational progress (NAEP)Only 14% of American students read for pleasure almost every day, against 31% in 1984. In the United Kingdom, the Trust of national literacy The reports that only 28% of children aged 8 to 18 said they had loved reading in their free time in 2023.
With the commitment in reading in crisis, a group of adolescents decided to return the story – by activating their cameras. What started as a simple class project to encourage reading has evolved into a movement that amplified the voices of students, strengthened trust and connected learners through cultures.
Rather than writing traditional books or reports, my students were invited to create short criticism of video books from their favorite titles – books they really liked, connections and wanted others to discover. The goal? To promote reading in class and beyond. The result? A library of recommendations led by students who brought books and readers – to life.
Presentation of the project: Read, record and reach the world
As a teacher of ESL, I have always looked for ways to make the literacy significant and stimulating, especially for students who sail in a new language and a new culture. This video review project began with a simple idea: let the students choose a book they love, and instead of writing about it, talking about it. The mission? Create a short, personal and authentic video to recommend the book to classmates – and potentially to viewers around the world.
Students had creative freedom to shape their presentations. Some have used publishing applications like Filmora9 or Canva, while others recorded in a single socket on a smartphone. I offered a basic overview – Include the title and the author of the book, explain why you loved it and share to whom you would recommend it – but from the left square for a personal flair.
What surprised me the most was how seriously the students took the project. They did not only complete a mission – they made their voices, practiced communication skills and were proud of their ability to share something they loved in a second language.
Student spotlights: books of books with heart, voice and vision
The video of each student has become more than a book recommendation – it was an expression of identity, creativity and confidence. With a camera as a platform, they explored their favorite books and communicated their ideas in an authentic and impactful way.
Mariam Elzeftawy: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Watch Miriam's video review
Mariam paved the way with a polished and emotionally resonant video review of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Using Filmora9, she edited her video to sink gently while keeping the emphasis on her sincere reflections. Mariam spoke with sincerity of the themes of the novel: love, illness and the fragility of life. She communicated them in a way that was both thoughtful and relatable. His work has shown not only strong literacy skills, but also a digital mastery and a growing feeling of self -expression.
Dana: dear tia by Maria Zaki
Watch Dana's video review
In one of the most touching video reviews, Dana, a student who openly admits that she is not a passionate reader, has chosen to highlight “Dear Tia”, written by Maria Zaki, the sister of her best friend. The personal link with the author did not just make him feel; This made the book more real, more urgent and is worth it to be spoken. Dana's honest reflection and warm delivery highlight how personal links with literature can arouse unexpected enthusiasm.
Farah Badawi: Utopia by Ahmed Khaled Towfik
Watch Farah's video review
Farah's confident presentation presented her classmates to Utopia, a dystopian novel by the Egyptian author Ahmed Khaled Towfik. Thanks to her review, she drew attention to Arab literature, offering a perspective that is often underrepresented in classrooms. The choice of Farah reflected the pride of her cultural identity, and her delivery was clear, convincing and engaging. His video became more than a review – it was a form of cultural narration that invited his peers to extend their literary horizons.
Rita Tamer: Frostblood
Watch Rita's video review
The Revue de Rita De Frostblood, a fantastic novel by Elly Blake, stood out from her passionate tone and her concise narration. She broke the plot with clarity, highlighting the emotional journey of the protagonist while reflecting on themes such as power, resilience and identity. The simple approach of Rita and the obvious enthusiasm have created a strong connection between peers, showing how even a simple and sincere review can arouse curiosity and excitement about reading.
Skills in action in action
Behind each of these videos is a powerful range of literacy development. Students did not only revise books – they analyzed themes, synthetized ideas, established connections and articulated their thoughts for an audience. By preparing for their recordings, the students learned to organize their ideas, to revise their messages for more clarity and to reflect on what had a story relevant to them personally.
Addressing a camera also encouraged students to practice intonation, pace and skills of key expression in the development of oral language and speech in public. In multilingual classrooms, these skills are often overlooked in favor of silent writing tasks. But in this project, learners in English were at the front and center, using their voices – literally and figuratively – to appropriate the language in a way that seemed authentic and stimulating.
In addition, the integration of video tools meant that students had to criticize the way they visually presented the information. From publishing with applications like Filmora9 to choose from the appropriate history, they did not only absorb the content, they produced and published it, adopting their role as creators in a digital world.
Tips for teachers: bringing books to life
This project was simple to implement and required a little more than the creativity of students and access to a recording device. Here are some tips for educators who want to try something similar:
- Let the students choose their own books: engagement delicacies when they care about what they read.
- Keep the flexible structure: a short outline helps, but the students thrive when they have room to speak naturally.
- Offer technological tools as optional, not compulsory: some students appreciated using Filmora9 or Canva, while others used the camera application on their phone.
- Focus on voice and message, not perfection: encourage students to focus on authenticity on varnish.
- Create a day of first in class: let the students watch the videos and celebrate the voices of their peers.
Literacy is personal, public and powerful
This project has proven what each educator already knows: when students have the opportunity to express himself significantly, they launch out on occasion. Thanks to criticism of books, my students did not only practice understanding of reading, they became speakers, storytellers, publishers and alphabestication defenders.
They reminded me and will continue to remind others that when young people speak of books in their own voice, with their personal stories woven in the story, something beautiful happens: reading becomes contagious.
