I have to start by saying this is a tough question to begin answering. Deciding what texts to teach has always been a painstaking process for me, and I am assuming that this is the case for most new teachers. As teachers, we do not want to impose our own views of what is considered worthwhile to study and what is not; however, many of my students find it extremely difficult to find any enjoyment in reading "the classics" or other examples of what I will call "literary literature"--texts that have achieved enough of a canonical status that they are deemed appropriate for academic study. However, when I look at the books my students are reading and sharing with one another, none of these books are classics or elevated canonical texts. They are reading, rereading, and sharing books that offer teens making their way through post-apocalyptic worlds, fighting, surviving, and (possibly) getting/keeping a girl or boyfriend along the way. Is there any reason why these books do not have a prevalent role in secondary classrooms? Can we not still teach the literary concepts and writing skills our students need to succeed using books that students across reading levels and backgrounds seem to enjoy on a regular basis?
My short answer is yes, we can do all of these things and more with the books that already have a grip on our students' interest. If teachers have the freedom to select grade-appropriate texts without having to adhere to any particular list of texts, then we should do our best to incorporate texts that reflect our students' interests. While literary and academic scholars might be hesitant to include young adult dystopian fiction in any literary canon, we should not forget that including the kinds of stories that students are already talking about on their own offers us countless ways to extend the curriculum and engage all of the readers in different ways. The desolate worlds of dystopian fiction and the teenagers who live in them--struggling to maintain a sense of individuality in a world they did not create--spark new questions that would add a new level of excitement to a content area that students tend to be less excited about. English, like any other discipline, has to keep up and remain relevant and current for our students. I am not suggesting that we should no longer teach any part of the canon; however, I am advocating for the inclusion of texts that our students are already finding interesting and thought-provoking. It would be very interesting to hear my students' critical thoughts on popular young adult literature--especially a genre that often magnifies the types of conflicts and emotions they have regarding their transition into adult societies they often feel they have no part in creating or controlling.
Works Consulted
Stallworth, B. Joyce. "The Relevance of Young Adult Literature". Educational Leadership. (April 2006): 59-63.
I also wrote about the idea of incorporating texts like you have mentioned into the classroom, rather than sticking to the classics. If the students are interested and actually enjoying reading books that are level and age appropriate, then I see no reason why we shouldn't involve these books in the classroom as well. You mentioned that these are books the students can relate to, which I believe as well. Middle and Highschool students have a difficult time discovering who they are, and if they can relate to young adult literature characters and scenarios, they are more apt to read these books than the classics.
ReplyDeleteYes. I think especially ELS learner's need some kind of text of their interest. their preferred choice of literature will engage better to the learning. Also the vocabularies related to the topic that they have interest in will feel more familiar to them. Books that the students can relate themselves to will improve their wanting to critical thinking
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