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Reconsidering the Hypothetical Adolescent in Evaluating and Teaching Young Adult Literature

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Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy

Published online on

Abstract

Courses on teaching young adult literature (YAL) often encourage preservice English language arts teachers to consider their future students as they evaluate texts for classroom use. In this study, Sulzer and Thein analyzed preservice teachers' responses to familiar questions used to frame discussions of YAL—questions that ask them to read on behalf of a hypothetical adolescent reader. Findings suggest that evaluating YAL this way may naturalize myths about who adolescents are, what they care about, and what they are capable of. Understanding and addressing these myths may be beneficial to all who are involved in selecting literature for adolescents.