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Literature for Young Adults

Spring 2017

Tuesdays March 21rd – May 9th

4:00 p.m. – 6:25 p.m.

Instructor: Heidi R. Bacon, PhD Email: hrbacon@siu.edu

Office: Wham 322K Phone (preferred) 520.237.2938

Office Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 2:30–5:30 p.m. and by appointment

Availability: Online daily and available via email, text, Skype, or Google Hangout

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to quality literature for young adults. The course will

include a variety of genres and authors of literature for the young adult reader. Students in this course will

address the role of young adult literature in the curriculum.

EXPANDED COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is an examination of landmark and contemporary literature for young adults. Students will

critically evaluate young adult literature and the implications for classroom use. Special attention will be

given to publications that have received national and international awards. Emphasis will be placed on the

use of young adult literature within the framework of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

The landscape of young adult literature is undergoing a renaissance. Innovative authors are exploring a

range of topics and issues in a variety of formats and styles. Young adult literature enjoys an expanding

field of readers to include both adolescents and adults. We will read widely from non-fiction, novels,

picture books, and poetry to build upon our understandings of cultural, literary diversity through our

engagements with text. We will inquire into the authors, illustrators, and poets who create literature for

adolescents, identify recent trends, and examine the role that young adult literature can play in the lives of

adolescents in different settings. We will nurture our ability to develop personal understandings and

interpretations from literature and critique the lenses through which we view the world and our

experiences. This class offers a rich opportunity to immerse yourself in quality literature, compelling

writing, and the multiple worlds of adolescents.

SYLLABUS CI: 445

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this course, students will have an understanding of the following:

Objective IPTS InTASC ILA ISTE Course Assignment(s)

Identify authors and

become familiar

with landmark and

contemporary texts

6B 2k, 4m,

5j, 5p, 5q,

9e, 9m

2.3, 4.1 1a Readings; blog posts; mini-

inquiry on young adult

author; book talk media

project

Analyze and

critically evaluate

texts from a variety

of genres

1F, 2I,

9A, 9G

4q, 5q,

9e., 9m

2.3, 4.1 1a Readings; blog posts; mini-

inquiry on trends in young

adult literature; book talk

media project

Become aware of

and address issues

of diversity in

young adult

literature

1E, 1F,

2E, 9G

1e, 2k,

4m, 4q,

5q, 9e,

9m

2.3, 4.1 1a Readings; blog posts, mini-

inquiry on adolescence;

mini-inquiry on trends; book

talk media project

Develop curriculum

that brings readers

and texts together,

fosters engagement

with text, and

develops literary

understandings

1F, 2C,

2N, 3K,

4D, 5A

6B, 6F,

9G

1e, 1j, 2c,

2j, 3b, 3i,

4j, 4m,

4p, 5m,

7a

2.3, 4.3,

5.3

1a, 2a, 4b Final inquiry

Utilize technology

and media to

support teaching

and learning

2L, 3E,

4D, 5O

5l, 8r 6.2 1a, 2a, 4b Blog posts, book talk media

project; final inquiry

REQUIRED TEXTS

Beach, R., Appleman, D., Fecho, B., & Simon, R. (2016). Teaching literature to adolescents (3rd ed.).

New York, NY: Routledge.

ISBN-13: 978-1138891241

Additional readings will be made available on D2

You are required to have a LiveText account.

Standards

Links for Common Core Standards:

http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf for English Language Arts &

History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects

NCTE: http://www.ncte.org/standards

COURSE EXPERIENCES

Course experiences are based on the following conceptual framework: Learning is a process of inquiry;

learning is active and reflexive; learning happens when we connect what we are learning to our

experiences and what we know; learning occurs in a multi-cultural word and in a multiplicity of contexts

with many ways of knowing.

Flex your book blogging muscle (10%): Share responses to your weekly readings and reviews of books

with your class colleagues via your blog. In addition to your weekly responses, reviews of books,

and mini-inquiry write-ups, you can also blog about your reading list, books you want to read,

books you have read, and/or books you are reading for your inquiries, etc. The readings and

postings for this course need to be done weekly. This course is based on continuous reading of

young adult literature and you will greatly decrease your learning and participation if you are not

reading regularly throughout the course. You will negotiate the types of books to read for this

course based on your needs and interests.

Mini-Inquiry on Adolescence (10%). Select a question of interest to you regarding adolescents and

young adult literature and complete a mini-inquiry. To answer your question, you might conduct

an interview or observe a group of adolescents in a natural setting; engage in a professional

reading that relates to your question; reflect on your own history as an adolescent reader;

interview a librarian or bookstore employee; examine YA books from earlier time periods, etc.

Write-up your inquiry and reflect on your learning in your blog.

Mini-Inquiry on Trends in Young Adult Literature (10%): Based on your reading of young adult

literature, choose a trend of interest to you and engage in further research on that trend. Gather

books related to the particular trend and research what has been written about that trend. Include

the perceptions of adolescents in your research. Trends can range from the popularity of a

particular type of book such as dystopias or steampunk to shifts in how particular topics or issues

are dealt with such as sexuality. Some examples of recent trends that might be related to

readership include the emergence of strong adult readership for many young adult authors, the

use of social media by authors to appeal to adolescents as readers, or Hollywood’s focus on

young adult literature as a source of movie scripts. Write up your inquiry and reflect on your

learning in your blog.

Mini-Inquiry on a Young Adult Author (10%): Select an author who interests you or to whom you feel a

strong connection. Gather a collection of that author’s books and spend time reading about their

life and exploring their work through on-line and print resources. Create a poster, a visual display,

and a handout to present your work conference style. Invite several colleagues to view the

displays and participate in a young adult literature discussion. Reflect on this experience and how

it has influenced your understanding of young adult literature. Write it up in your blog.

Book Talk Media Project (20%). Develop two digital book talks (5-10 minutes each). One book should

reflect a landmark text and the other a contemporary text. Your book talk should encompass the

following: information about the author and genre; themes or styles; controversies associated with

the text; ties to popular culture; suggestions for a landmark or contemporary or companion text;

any links to critical theories; and 2 evocative questions for discussion.

Final Inquiry (40%). The final inquiry is a Benchmark Assessment. Students will develop an young

adult literature unit or a resource unit that pulls together textual resources and related learning

activities. The inquiry artifact should demonstrate a thorough understanding of theory and

practice that frames the final inquiry. The final inquiry comprises three parts: a proposal, the unit,

and a media presentation to be shared at the final exam meeting. The proposal introduces the

topic of the inquiry, the importance of the topic and related rationale, an overview of the research,

and how the inquiry connects to CCSS. The media presentation can be a sharable multi-modal

text that supplements your artifact and which can be used when teaching a text or conducting

professional development. A handout that explains the final inquiry will be posted on D2L and

discussed in class. Include a final reflective blog post on your take-away from this project.

IPTS 1F, 2C, 2L, 2N, 3E, 3K, 4D, 5A 6B, 6F, 9G; InTASC 1e, 1j, 2c, 2j, 3b, 3i, 4j, 4m, 4p, 5l,

5m, 7a, 8r; IRA 2.3, 4.3, 5.3, 6.2; ISTE 1a, 2a, 4b

EVALUATION

Grading Scale: 92%=A, 85%=B, 70%=C, 60%=D, Below 60%=F

NB. Completing the above course requirements does not automatically result in an “A” grade. An “A”

grade is earned only by satisfying the highest standards set for each assignment, regular attendance, and

thoughtful, active participation in the course.

COURSE CALENDAR

The information contained in this course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policies, may be

subject to change with reasonable notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor. All changes and

adjustments will be discussed in class when possible and posted under Announcements in D2L.

Date Theme

Learning Activities Due

March 21st

Week #1

Course Introduction and Overview

Defining Adolescence and Imagining our

Literature Classrooms

Due for March 30th

Readings: Chapters 1-2; “The Look of

Classic Young Adult Literature”; read a

book you read as a teen; read a

contemporary young adult book

Assignments: Establish your blog;

respond to the readings in your blog;

respond to 2 blog posts; visit wowlit.org

March 28th

Week #2

History and Current Trends in Young

Adult Literature Due for April 6th Readings: Chapters 3-5; read a landmark

young adult book and a contemporary

young adult book

Assignments: Mini-Inquiry on

Adolescence; reading blog post; respond

to 2 blog posts

April 4st

Week #3

Creating Opportunities for Adolescents to

Engage in Literature Due for April 13th

Readings: Chapters 6-8; choose and read

an article on wowlit.org; 2 young adult

books

Assignments: Mini inquiry on trends in

young adult literature; mini-inquiry blog

post; reading blog post; respond to 2 blog

posts

April 11th

Week #4

Diversity in Young Adult Literature Due for April 20th

Readings: Chapters 9-10; Yoon (2010); 2

young adult books

Assignments: Book talk #1; mini-inquiry

blog post; reading blog post; respond to 2

blog posts

April 18th

Week #5

Experiencing Literature Due for April 27th

Readings: Eva-Wood (2008); 3 young

adult books (1 of which is a challenged or

banned book)

Assignments: Mini-inquiry on young

adult author; book talk blog post; reading

blog post; respond to 2 blog posts

April 25th

Week #6

Responding to Literature Due for May 4th

Readings: Glaus (2014); Moss (2013); 2

young adult books

Assignments: Book talk #2; mini-inquiry

blog post; reading blog post; respond to 2

blog posts

May 2nd

Week #7

Literature in the Curriculum Due for May 11th

Readings: 3 young adult books

Assignments: Book talk blog post;

reading blog post; respond to 2 blogs;

final inquiries

May 9th

Week #8 Final Exam–Final Inquiries

Appendix A

Course Policies

Attendance. Attendance is mandatory. More than one absence will be considered justification for

lowering the course grade by one letter grade. Extenuating circumstances will be dealt with on an

individual basis. Email or text at your earliest convenience to notify me of any tardiness or absence.

Failure to do so will result in an unexcused absence.

Participation and active engagement. Come to class prepared and ready to actively engage in learning

activities. Read and complete assignments before class, thoughtfully participate in discussions and

activities, and actively work with others. Your participation and contributions are essential to building a

professional learning community.

Assignments. All assignments must be posted to D2L before class on Thursdays by 3:00 p.m. Please

observe due dates. Points will be deducted for late work; any assignment submitted more than one class

meeting late will receive no more than half the points available for that particular assignment. All work

must be typed. Assignments must conform to APA guidelines.

Exhibit professional behavior and civility. Students are expected to assist in maintaining a learning

community that is conducive to learning. Embracing diversity (cultural, religious, and otherwise) and

others’ ways of knowing enriches our professional learning community. Technology and devices that

enhance, but do not distract or disrupt, the learning environment are welcomed.

I am open to your suggestions.

If you anticipate issues related to the requirements of this course, please discuss them with me at your

earliest convenience. Likewise, if you have concerns about the coursework, teaching, grading, etc. It is

imperative that I know as soon as possible, so I can mediate them.

I am excited to get to know you, work with you, and learn with you!

Appendix B

Young Adult Library Services Association: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook

International Literacy Association Reading Lists: https://www.literacyworldwide.org/get-

resources/reading-lists/young-adults-choices-reading-list

Classic Young Adult Novels

Taylor, M. (1976). Roll of thunder hear my cry. NY: Penguin.

Hinton, S. E. (1967). The outsiders. NY: Viking.

Lowry, L. (1993). The giver. Houghton Mifflin.

Paulson, G. (1999). The hatchet. NY: Scholastic.

Voigt, C. (2003). Homecoming. Aladdin.

Contemporary Young Adult Fiction

Alexie, S. (2007). Flight. NY: Grove/Atlantic.

Anderson, L. H. (2001). Speak. NY: Penguin.

Cisneros, S. (1984). The house on Mango Street. NY: Vintage Books.

Meyers, W. D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper Collins.

Ryan, P.M. (2000). AEsperanza rising. NY: Scholastic.

Parodies and Retellings

Austin, J., & Grahme-Smith, S. (2009). Pride and prejudice and zombies. Philadelphia, PA: Quirk

Publishing.

Beddor, F. (2006). The looking glass wars. NY: Dial Books.

Gardner, J. (1989). Grendel. NY: Random House.

Maguire, G. (1995). Wicked. NY: Harper Collins.

Autobiography and Memoir

Ali, A. (2007). Infidel. NY: Simon and Schuster.

Plath, S. (2009). The bell jar. NY: Harper Perennial.

O’Brien, T. (2009). The things they carried. NY: Mariner.

Wiesel, E. (1972). Night. U.S.: Hill and Wang.

Yousafzai, M., & McCormick, P. (2014). I am Malala: How one girl stood up for education and changed

the world. Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

More Adolescent Fiction

Babbitt, N. (2007). Tuck everlasting. NY: Square Fish.

Collins, S. (2010). The hunger games. NY: Scholastic.

Creech, S. (2003). Walk two moons. NY; Harper Teens.

L’Engle. (2007). A wrinkle in time. NY: Square Fish.

McCormick, P. (2006). Sold. Disney Hyperion.

Paulson, G. (2007). Harris and me. Sandpiper Press

Spinelli, J. (2004). Stargirl. NY: Laurel Leaf.

Soto, G. (2000). Baseball in April. Sandpiper Press.

Graphic Novels

Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis. NY: Pantheon.

Spiegeleman, A. (1986). Maus. NY: Pantheon.

Thomas, R., & Fiumara, S. (2008). The picture of Dorian Gray. Marvel.

Yang, G. L. (2008). American born Chinese. NY: Square Fish.

Vaughan, B., & Niko, H. (2006). Pride of Bagdad. DC Comics/Vertigo.

Appendix C

Teacher Education Program

The Teacher Education Program (TEP) at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is fully accredited by

the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education/ Council for the Accreditation of

Educator Preparation (NCATE/CAEP) and by the Illinois State Board of Education. Spanning the entire

university, the Teacher Education Program is administered through the College of Education and Human

Services and includes majors from the College of Education and Human Services, the College of Science,

the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Agricultural Sciences. Teacher education programs

approved by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board (SEPLB) are offered at the

undergraduate level in early childhood education, elementary education, special education, secondary

education, and in majors and minors that lead to the special certificate to teach K-12 art, music, physical

education, and foreign languages.

Teacher Education Conceptual Framework:

Preparing Reflective Educational Leaders

The conceptual framework identified by Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s College of Education

and Human Services reflects the professional community’s commitment to preparing reflective

educational leaders at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Reflective educational leaders are able

to review, reconstruct, reenact, and critically analyze their own and their students’ performances as a

means to formulate explanations with evidence. A reflective educational leader fosters his/her

professionalism in practice when he/she values students’ myriad identities, equips students with the

literacies required to participate in a democratic society, and engages stakeholders to make this

learning accessible, rigorous, and relevant.

Our conceptual framework views the professional development of teachers and other educational

personnel to be an evolutionary and maturational process. Our goal is to prepare a competent, reflective

educational leader, ready to assume the responsibilities of educating individuals but with full awareness

that his or her induction into the profession continues throughout the duration of his or her professional

career. We believe that our teacher candidates not only practice reflective thinking but also become

practitioners of reflective action. We believe that effective teaching is characterized by interactions with

students to present subject matter, followed by informed reflection on these interactions and

presentations. Teachers should make decisions among methods and content based on their competence in

both subject matter and pedagogy, rather than acting as technicians following a predetermined

curriculum. All unit programs are aligned to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards as well as

standards from their respective content areas.

The model below represents the three major tenets of SIU’s Teacher Education Program: Literacies,

Identities, and Engagement:

Literacies:

Reflective educational leaders understand the vast array of literacies students need to function in today’s

modern society. This includes knowledge of reading, writing, and aural communication within the content

area as well as media, scientific and quantitative literacy (Chessin & Moore, 2004; Crowe, Connor, &

Petscher, 2009; Cunningham & Stanovich, 2001; Delpit, 1995; Kear, Coffman, McKenna, & Ambrosio,

2000; Leinhardt & Young, 1996; McKenna & Kear, 1990; Moje, 2008; Perry, & Delpit, 1998; Shulman,

1987; Schwartz, 2005; Wilson, 2006; Wineburg, 2001).

Identities:

Reflective educational leaders understand the diverse characteristics and abilities of all students and how

these students develop and learn within the context of their social, economic, cultural, linguistic, and

academic experiences. Using these experiences they create instructional opportunities to maximize

student learning (Brown, 2005; Cramer, 2006; Epstein, 2009; Irvine, 1997; Olsen, 2010; Rose & Meyer,

2002; Vygotsky, 1962/1996; Washburn, Joshi, & Binks-Cantrell, 2011).

Engagement:

Reflective educational leaders are ethical and reflective practitioners who exhibit professional

engagement by providing leadership in the learning community and by serving as advocates for students,

parents or guardians, and the profession (Amatea, Daniels, Bringman, & Vandiver, 2004; Bemak, &

Chung, 2008; Hiebert, Morris, Berk, & Jansen, 2007; Keys, Bemak, Carpenter, & King-Sears, 1998;

Lach & Goodwin, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 1995; McCann & Johannessen, 2008; Ratts, DeKruyf, & Chen-

Hayes, 2007).

Dispositions

The professional attitudes, values, and beliefs demonstrated though verbal and nonverbal behaviors

(dispositions) as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, and communities should support

student learning and development. These dispositions are:

The candidate demonstrates professionalism:

dependability and reliability

honesty, trustworthiness, ethics

enthusiasm, love of learning and commitment to the profession

The candidate values human diversity:

shows respect and sensitivity to the learning needs and abilities of all individuals

shows respect and sensitivity to the diverse cultures, languages, races, and family compositions

of all individuals

strives for best practices to address diverse learning needs and abilities of all individuals

strives for best practices to address diverse cultures, languages, races, and family compositions

of all individuals

collaborates with diverse peers, professional colleagues, staff and families

The candidate develops professionally:

engages in ongoing acquisition of knowledge

engages in development of research-based practices

assesses own performance and reflects on needed improvements

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