It was rewarding for me to connect with others who have an academic interests in literacy education that are different from mine. I need the infusion of new ideas as I plan a new methods class or work on a new syllabus for a graduate course. I appreciate the intellectual stimulation.
It is also a place to make connections with people who do similar work. I loved the discussions at the two commission meetings on the Study and Teaching of Adolescent Literature. A host of ideas were discussed and we have a new Facebook page to help us stayed connected between conferences. If you have a new article, a new book, an academic book review, or a call for proposals, we want to hear about it and post it on this page. The commission is doing what it can to sponsor new work, report on projects, support collaborations, and to invite practicing teachers and librarians into this academic space.
YA Books Mentioned and Session Titles
Some of the books I heard discussed during these sessions and other conversations are the following:
March John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
All American Boys Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Still Life with Tornado A. S. King
The Hope U Give Angie Thomas
Ghosts Raina Telgemeier
Probably Still Nick Swanson Virginia Euwer Wolff
13 Reasons Why Jay Asher
Out of My Mind Sharon M. Draper
Shine Lauren Myracle
Titles of Conference Presentations
A large body of young adult literature helps adolescents to be aware of the challenges that many of their “atypical” peers face, and the related discussions and reflections about the literature equip learners to move away from stereotypes and gain deeper and nuanced understandings of the lives some of their peers lead. The session invites discussion about the power of YA narratives to foster empathy
Stephanie Thompson, Kaplan University
Ashley Boyd, Washington State University
Janine Darragh, University of Idaho
Crag Hill, University of Oklahoma
Stories can help readers investigate issues of diversity and equity as characters grapple with social issues and injustices in their fictional worlds. Panelists will discuss how they help students apply principles of powerful literacy and critical literacy while analyzing literary characters who show compassion and/or critical consciousness.
Sharon Kane, SUNY at Oswego
Anne Fairbrother, SUNY at Oswego
Tania Ramalho, SUNY at Oswego
This panel provides a frame for young adult literature (YAL) involving market-based, reader-based, and content-based definitions. We argue that content-based definitions are most useful in establishing (com)passionate interpretive practices in the classroom that allow students’ intersectional identities to be taken up as a resource for literary interpretation.
Mark A. Sulzer, University of Cincinnati
Amanda Haertling Thein, University of Iowa
Presenters in this combined session will review methods for and affordances of incorporating multicultural children’s literature and pop culture into K-12 classrooms. Specifically, presenters will consider the potential for such pedagogical approachers to welcome and value students’ diverse experiences, identities, and cultures in schools.
Margaret Robbins, University of Georgia
Chaz H. Gonzalez, University at Buffalo
Nichole A. Barrett, University at Buffalo