Each student must obtain an e-mail account from BAMA, located in the Seebeck Computer Center, or have access to another e-mail account.

Course Description
This course is intended to be an exploration of the issues and themes prevalent in young adult literature and how this literature can affect young readers. Reading young adult literature in the classroom can make students more understanding of themselves, their peers, their parents and other adults, and their world. Therefore, the primary purposes of the course are (1) to provide an opportunity for us to study and reflect on the rationale, goals, and objectives for using young adult literature; (2) read and critique excellent contemporary young adult novels; and (3) to engage us in developing instructional theories and practices that will help us integrate quality young adult literature into the middle and high school curriculum.

Objectives
1. To acquaint students with samples of quality literature for young adults;
2. To advance students’ skills in curricular design;
3. To enhance students’ understanding of current trends and issues in teaching young adult literature; and
4. To facilitate students’ professional growth as reflective practitioners.

Evaluation of Objectives/Grade Determination
Students will meet the objectives stated above and demonstrate their competency by completing the following assignments:

Policy on Attendance and Assignments
All students are expected to attend all sessions and participate in class discussions and activities. Arrangements will be made for only the most serious circumstances. All assignments are due at the beginning of the class period for which they are listed. All e-mailed assignments must be sent by the due dates listed.

The University of Alabama Policy on Academic Conduct
"All acts of dishonesty in any work constitute academic misconduct. The Academic Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct."

Disabilities Act Statement
"It is the policy of the College of Education to make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability and desire accommodations to complete course requirements, please notify the course instructor in writing as soon as possible to discuss your request."

Quality
All written assignments require that students submit coherent, logical, and carefully edited prose. All work is to be word processed in the APA style. The newest edition is the fourth edition, August 1994.

1. We are all responsible for reading all of the chapters.
2. You will take periodic quizzes covering required readings from assigned chapters each week.
3. The quizzes are designed as checks to ensure your ability to participate in discussions each week.

Book Annotations (click for sample annotations) and Book Talks

1. We will all read (and/or listen to unabridged audiotapes) eight (six for undergraduates) contemporary young adult novels from the reading list in this syllabus. You must compose short annotations for each book that would inform other teachers looking for books to use in their classrooms. Note additional guidelines for some of the choices on the list.

2. Discuss possible classroom uses, list awards the novel has won, censorship issues, brief plot summary, genre, character list, personal reflection, etc. I have sample annotations.

3. You must choose four to present to the whole class during scheduled small group book talks. Make enough copies for the class when you orally discuss the four you have chosen for the book talks. Sign up for two different times because you will need to present two at two different times for a total of four.

4. Each book talk should be a four to five minute presentation of the major themes from the book you read. You should discuss the book’s major themes, significance for teaching, insights you gained from reading it, feasibility for teaching, your reaction, and other issues you deem important. Do not give us boring plot summaries. Consult the textbook for guidelines for presenting excellent book talks.

This most important assignment is an opportunity for you to be engaged in an activity which will most benefit you as an in-service teacher, pre-service teacher, or librarian. Below are some ideas you might want to consider. They are only brief descriptions. After you choose one of them or design a comparable project yourself, we can talk individually so that the details of the project can be developed. I only ask that you choose and develop a project which (1) reflects a high level of professionalism and (2) will be useful to you as a teacher of English/language arts or librarian.

Possibilities

1. unit plan using one or a combination of the following approaches and reflecting your understanding of approaches to using YA literature:

multicultural	historical period
topical	genre
issue	archetypal/mythic
thematic	regional

• The unit should be about three weeks in duration
• A chapter in Teaching Literature in the Secondary School (you may copy sections from my text) is an excellent resource in addition to other material I have.

2. 12 additional annotations of YA literature: novels, short stories, or audiotapes (at least six must be novels or unabridged audiotapes); preferably arranged around a theme or subject

3. Literature review and study proposal of an important problem/issue related to the teaching of YA literature

4. Administration of a reading inventory for young adults; include a statement of purpose, rationale citing at least four references, findings, conclusions, and recommendations; administer to at least 25 students (I have several inventories).

5. A YA author study

Your 8 - 10 minute presentation should illuminate what you did, why you did it, what you learned, etc. as appropriate to the nature of your project.

We will respond to group developed questions representative of issues we have considered throughout the course. This will be an in-class writing activity on the final night of class. You may use notes, readings, texts, etc.

Guidelines for the Interview

1. Interview a young adult (between 12-18) about his/her reading habits.

2. Include such questions as the following: (these are in no particular order; adjust them as you deem appropriate)

a.	How often do you read for pleasure?
b.	What do you read for pleasure? (e.g., magazines, newspapers, etc.)
c.	Do you like to read in school? Why/why not?
d.	What activities do you enjoy during your leisure time?
e.	What are your favorite novels or short stories?
f.	Do you consider yourself a good reader? Why/why not?
g.	What kinds of reading materials do you have at home?
h.	What reading materials do your parents/guardians routinely read?
i.	What kinds of subjects or topics do you like to read about?
j.	Do you consider reading important? Why/why not?
k.	How often are you assigned reading tasks in school? In what courses?
l.	OTHERS

3. Limit your interview to no more than 20 minutes.

4. E-mail me your two to three page word-processed interview summary by the due date.

1. Choose (a) an article from Appendix B of the text, The Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, or The ALAN Review or (b) a chapter from another "good" YA textbook (I have several suggestions).

2. Critique the article/chapter - at least four pages in length.

3. The article/chapter you read must be at least five pages in length and relate to young adult reading.

4. The critique should include the following:

5. Include a reference page citing the article/chapter and any other references you use. Do not include the article/chapter itself.

6. E-mail me your critique by the due date.

I. Read one title from any FOUR (undergraduates choose TWO) of the following authors:

Gary Paulsen	Mildred Taylor
Robert Cormier	Karen Cushman
Lois Duncan	Avi
Lois Lowry	Chris Crutcher
Walter Dean Myers	M.E. Kerr
Robert Lipsyte	Virginia Hamilton
Cynthia Voigt (other than Homecoming & Dicey’s Song)	Caroline B. Cooney

II. Read any TWO from the following sources: (1) Newbery Award or Honor Book from the 1998 list or the 1997 list (http://www.ala.org/alsc/newbpast.html) or (2) the ALA 1998 Top 10 Best Books for Young Adults (http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/98top10best.html) or (3) the ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 1998 (http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/bestbooks98.html)

III. Choose TWO of the following:
A. Read a book that would appeal to the 90’s male teen. Discuss whether or not you agree with this statement from Robert Lipsyte: "I think boys don’t read as much as we’d like them to because (1) current books tend not to deal with the real problems and fears of boys, and (2) there is a tendency to treat boys as a group . . . which is where males are at their absolute worst. . . .instead of as individuals who have to be led into reading secretly and one at a time."

B. Read a book with a female as a main character. How is the girl portrayed? How will girls ages 12 - 18 react to it? Why or why would you not teach this book in a whole class setting?

C. Listen to an unabridged young adult award-winning novel on tape. Would students enjoy books on tape? Why or why not? What are the benefits and challenges of using audio books with secondary students?

D. Read a graphic novel. What is the special appeal of this genre to teenagers? (You will hear about graphic novels on Jan. 14, 1999.)

E. Read a biography or autobiography for young adults. Use the suggestions in our text.

F. Read a book from either the science fiction or fantasy genre. What is the special appeal of the genre to teenagers?

1. Adolescent Literature (from ERIC): http://www.indiana.edu/~eric_rec/ieo/bibs/adol-lit.html
2. Young Adult Library Services Association (of The American Library Association): http://www.ala.org/yalsa/
3. ALAN (NCTE's Assembly on Literature for Adolescents): http://english.byu.edu/ALAN/
4. Young Adult Reading: http://www.spruceridge.com/reading/
5. Children's Literature Web Guide: http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/
6. Bantam Double Day Teachers Resource Center: http://www.bdd.com/teacher/index.html
7. Teacher Services at Random House Publishers: http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers.html
8. Ballantine and Random House Resources for Secondary Teachers: http://www.randomhouse.com/BB/teachers/
9. Books for Older Young Adults: http://www.randomhouse.com/BB/teachers/
10. Suggested Reading List: http://web.lwc.edu/staff/jcope/YABooks.htm

Date Created: December 30, 1998
jstallwo@bamaed.ua.edu