"So much of adolescence is an ill-defined dying, an intolerable waiting, a longing for another place and time, another condition."
-Theodore Roosevelt
High school students are adolescents; not quite children, while at the same time, not quite adults. Determining which books then are appropriate for this time of transition can be a difficult feat. As a teacher, one does not wish to provide students of such ages with books containing subject matter that is either far too childish or far too mature. Doing the former will surely drive students to truancy, while doing the latter will likely get you removed from your position in the school district by a mob of angry parents. One way to aim for the proper level of appropriateness is to follow the lead of pre-existing governing bodies. Books that have endorsements from the American Library Association and/or the International Reading Association, apart from being award winning titles, meet the criteria that most school districts are comfortable with in terms of content and will avoid the attention of any would-be censors (Hill et al, 3). Simple use of common sense will also help with determining what is and what is not suitable for young audiences
However, one does not have to stay within the literary confines of ‘Young Adult’ literature to find titles that are appropriate for adolescent readers. The world of ‘Adult Literature’ can be perfectly suitable for the high school classroom. Literary scholar Betty Carter points out the fact that the dividing line between ‘Young Adult’ and ‘Adult’ texts is anything but a clear and concise line, and is mostly used in determining which markets publishers will focus their efforts on for the purpose increased sales (63). Some books that would be considered Young Adult (Gary Pulsen’s Hatchet for example) can be too easy for high school students, while other books that aimed toward adults (Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game for example) can fit perfectly into the secondary classroom. In short, do not allow a book’s status as ‘Adult’ or ‘Young Adult’ be the determining factor in regards to its use in the school year.
In regards to a text’s accessibility, one must again remember that the intended audience is comprised of high school students, not literary critics nor grade-school children. While this can be a great area of concern for a teacher when deciding whether or not to use a text, scholars seem to be unified in their stance that it is better to aim high than it is to cater to the lower end of the spectrum. Former president of the National Council of Teachers of English Sheridan Blau believes that confusion in reading is an essential step in the process that in interpreting literature, and that it is often evidence of a higher degree of understanding (21-22). He also argues that the reading of literature that is understood after the first encounter is a waste of time, because it implies that the reader understood the text and its themes prior to reading it, and therefore stood to gain nothing from the process (24).
While Blau’s arguments may present a logistical problem for some high school students, there is nothing wrong with providing them with resources to help them in their journey through difficult texts. When working with younger students, scholar and educator Elizabeth Mascia supports the use of text-editing to cut to the meat of a piece’s message or key idea (39). Publications such as No Fear Shakespeare and the ever-popular CliffsNotes are just two examples of pre-existing sources that can supplement readings that are slightly too dense for the secondary classroom.
Lastly, one must keep a text’s attraction in mind when determining its possible use in a high school setting. While ‘the Classics’ are always present as go-to titles for high school reading lists, their content can turn away young readers due to their sheer lack of relatable characters and topics. Studies have shown that high school readers are more attracted to books with modern settings, current themes and concerns, and teenage protagonists than they are to the traditional Victorian-era novel or other typical ‘Classic’ text (Small, 56). While one should not completely abandon texts of years past, one should try to make them as relatable as possible so as to maximize their attraction for high school audiences.
@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }Blau, Sheridan D. The Literature Workshop: Teaching Texts and Their Readers. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2003. 21-24. Carter, Betty. "Adult Books for Young Adults." The English Journal 86.3 Mar. (1997): 63-67.
Hill, Margaret, Maureen White, and Carolyn Brodie. "Selecting and Promoting Young Adult and Children’s Award Winning Books." Dublin. 1 July 2001. Reading
Mascia, Elizabeth G. "'Cyrano de Bergerac': Bringing Classics to Young Adolescents." The English Journal 80.1 Jan. (1991): 36-39.
Small, Robert C. "The Junior Novel and the Art of Literature." The English Journal 66.7 Oct. (1977): 56-59.
However, one does not have to stay within the literary confines of ‘Young Adult’ literature to find titles that are appropriate for adolescent readers. The world of ‘Adult Literature’ can be perfectly suitable for the high school classroom. Literary scholar Betty Carter points out the fact that the dividing line between ‘Young Adult’ and ‘Adult’ texts is anything but a clear and concise line, and is mostly used in determining which markets publishers will focus their efforts on for the purpose increased sales (63). Some books that would be considered Young Adult (Gary Pulsen’s Hatchet for example) can be too easy for high school students, while other books that aimed toward adults (Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game for example) can fit perfectly into the secondary classroom. In short, do not allow a book’s status as ‘Adult’ or ‘Young Adult’ be the determining factor in regards to its use in the school year.
In regards to a text’s accessibility, one must again remember that the intended audience is comprised of high school students, not literary critics nor grade-school children. While this can be a great area of concern for a teacher when deciding whether or not to use a text, scholars seem to be unified in their stance that it is better to aim high than it is to cater to the lower end of the spectrum. Former president of the National Council of Teachers of English Sheridan Blau believes that confusion in reading is an essential step in the process that in interpreting literature, and that it is often evidence of a higher degree of understanding (21-22). He also argues that the reading of literature that is understood after the first encounter is a waste of time, because it implies that the reader understood the text and its themes prior to reading it, and therefore stood to gain nothing from the process (24).
While Blau’s arguments may present a logistical problem for some high school students, there is nothing wrong with providing them with resources to help them in their journey through difficult texts. When working with younger students, scholar and educator Elizabeth Mascia supports the use of text-editing to cut to the meat of a piece’s message or key idea (39). Publications such as No Fear Shakespeare and the ever-popular CliffsNotes are just two examples of pre-existing sources that can supplement readings that are slightly too dense for the secondary classroom.
Lastly, one must keep a text’s attraction in mind when determining its possible use in a high school setting. While ‘the Classics’ are always present as go-to titles for high school reading lists, their content can turn away young readers due to their sheer lack of relatable characters and topics. Studies have shown that high school readers are more attracted to books with modern settings, current themes and concerns, and teenage protagonists than they are to the traditional Victorian-era novel or other typical ‘Classic’ text (Small, 56). While one should not completely abandon texts of years past, one should try to make them as relatable as possible so as to maximize their attraction for high school audiences.
@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }Blau, Sheridan D. The Literature Workshop: Teaching Texts and Their Readers. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2003. 21-24. Carter, Betty. "Adult Books for Young Adults." The English Journal 86.3 Mar. (1997): 63-67.
Hill, Margaret, Maureen White, and Carolyn Brodie. "Selecting and Promoting Young Adult and Children’s Award Winning Books." Dublin. 1 July 2001. Reading
Mascia, Elizabeth G. "'Cyrano de Bergerac': Bringing Classics to Young Adolescents." The English Journal 80.1 Jan. (1991): 36-39.
Small, Robert C. "The Junior Novel and the Art of Literature." The English Journal 66.7 Oct. (1977): 56-59.