Challenged literature......Good for kids?

onsdag 9 januari 13

onsdag 9 januari 13

Our librarians asked:

• The students asked for this book and after a lot of debate and hesitation, we purchased it for the library. We have presented it in a context and placed pink slips inside the novel to warn about unpleasant parts. Do you think the book belongs in our school library?

onsdag 9 januari 13

onsdag 9 januari 13

What’s your spontaneous reaction to this?

onsdag 9 januari 13

This is what a few teachers of the teachers had to say about

it:

onsdag 9 januari 13

• All books should be allowed!

• I think Fi!y Shades is problematic in many ways. However, I do think it would be bad not to have it in our library. Partly, because we have other books containing questionable material and partly because I think it’s important that our library keep books that are discussed and debated in the literary world.

• To almost censure a book by using pink slips, is not just bad judgement, it shows a complete LACK of judgement. If a book, for some reason, does not meet quality standards, it should not have been purchased at all. But, when it has been bought for the library, it is abusive to treat it in this way!

onsdag 9 januari 13

• If every book in the school library that contains potentially abusive parts should be marked with pink slips, we will have a lot of slips! Maybe the discussion about the Tin-Tin magazines could have served as a cautionary tale? This is especially important since this is also an erotic novel, and kids who read it and find themselves interested in BDSM can hardly feel good about being called abused!

• Does the book belong in our library, you ask? Don’t all books belong in a library? This is 2012 and not The Middle Ages. We have a right to read everything! Or are librarians going to start censuring, and deciding what is good and bad? In that case, we’ll need more warning shelves! I read the book and don’t share your opinion. Critics say the language is simple,well, no one reads this novel for the language. It’s an erotic novel!

onsdag 9 januari 13

• What kind of books should and shouldn’t be purchased for a high school library?

• How do you feel about the decision the librarians made about the book?

• Are some books dangerous for kids your age, or are you old enough to read everything?

Topics for discussion:Learning strategy: later, you will be asked to state your own opinions

about this in an assignment. Therefore, it is a good idea to listen carefully to your class mates and maybe even take notes:)

onsdag 9 januari 13

Vocabulary

challenged: utmanad/ifrågasattlibrarians: bibliotekarier

debate: diskussionhesitation: tvekanpurchased: inköpt

context: sammanhangunpleasant: obehaglig

belongs: hör hemmaspontaneous: spontan

allowed: tillåtetproblematic: problematisk

partly: delviscontaining: innehållande

questionable: tvivelaktig/ diskutabeltliterary: litterära

censure: censurerajudgement: omdömecomplete: fullständigtlack: bristmeet quality standards: leva upp till de ställda kravenabusive: kränkande potentially: potentielltcautionary tale: avskräckande exempelBDSM: Bondage/ Sado-Masochismhardly: knappastThe Middle Ages: medeltidenopinion: åsiktcritics: kritiker

The words are translated to the meaning they have in this specific context, so they can’t always be used in exchange for these

Swedish translations!

onsdag 9 januari 13

Task!

• Now you have read what teachers had to say about the novel. You have also heard what your class mates had to say about the novel and the discussion topics. You have also been given a target vocabulary than can be used when discussing these topics. Now it’s your turn, to tell me how you feel!

• Record a short video (1:30-2:00 minutes long) where you say what you think about the discussion topics. You may use key words but you should not read from a text or learn a text by heart. You should speak ”freely”. Show your key words to the camera before you start talking.

onsdag 9 januari 13