Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Beth Schurman
Project Type
Departmental Honors project
Scholarship Domain(s)
Scholarship of Discovery
Presentation Type
Presentation
Abstract
Although young adult literature (abbreviated YAL) is increasing in popularity, its benefits in the classroom are lacking in research, particularly in large-scale studies featuring both qualitative and quantitative data. Furthermore, as our world continues to become more diverse, students can not only connect with characters like themselves but also learn to appreciate others from diverse backgrounds through reading YAL texts, which are proven to increase students’ engagement with texts. To better analyze if young adult literature is being used in secondary English Language Arts classrooms and how frequently the various facets of diversity are being considered when choosing texts for the curriculum, a sample of high school English teachers were surveyed on their use and perceptions of YAL in the classroom. Results of this study remain consistent with those similar to it and conclude that, while there is a strong interest in incorporating more YAL into the curriculum, there are many different factors that limit its inclusion into the classroom including lack of funding, desire to teach from the literary canon, and feeling limited by the Common Core State Standards.
Permission Type
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Secondary Education Commons, Secondary Education and Teaching Commons
The Use of Diverse Young Adult Literature in High School Classrooms
Fishbowl
Although young adult literature (abbreviated YAL) is increasing in popularity, its benefits in the classroom are lacking in research, particularly in large-scale studies featuring both qualitative and quantitative data. Furthermore, as our world continues to become more diverse, students can not only connect with characters like themselves but also learn to appreciate others from diverse backgrounds through reading YAL texts, which are proven to increase students’ engagement with texts. To better analyze if young adult literature is being used in secondary English Language Arts classrooms and how frequently the various facets of diversity are being considered when choosing texts for the curriculum, a sample of high school English teachers were surveyed on their use and perceptions of YAL in the classroom. Results of this study remain consistent with those similar to it and conclude that, while there is a strong interest in incorporating more YAL into the curriculum, there are many different factors that limit its inclusion into the classroom including lack of funding, desire to teach from the literary canon, and feeling limited by the Common Core State Standards.