In an early forum post about the definition of children’s literature (Clarke, 2018b), I identified basic features, but except for a brief comment about ‘moral lessons’, I didn’t consider the specific educational qualities inherent in texts for young people. After reading about the trends in literature, I did note that there has been an increase in ‘authentic cultural expression’ (Clarke, 2018a. para. 1). However, these minor comments didn’t start to develop into a clear understanding of the benefits of literature in schools until I began to read the professional literature and my peers’ forum posts. A significant moment in my educational journey was my perusal of a post by Huculak (2018) because it focused on literacy and prompted me to scrutinise the simplified arguments many schools employ. I started to see that literary texts can be used to teach curriculum subjects but also important life lessons. I began to contemplate the cultural and social implications of imbedding literature into the curriculum.

My first assignment motivated me to explore a specific literary form (graphic novel) in order to understand how young adult fiction in general provides students with a deeper understanding of society. Diverse texts can help students develop cultural understanding in multiple ways: they learn about the world, become capable of identifying and assuaging prejudicial responses, and underrepresented students can develop a voice in response to seeing themselves in the literature (Chance, 2018, p. 128). Even the stereotypes used in some contemporary texts can be used to prompt important discussions (Watts, 2015), specifically in regard to issues of discrimination and marginalisation. For this reason, I will ensure that my library contains a diverse and up-to-date range of texts so that teachers and students will be able to benefit from new perspectives. I will also engage in meaningful conversations with teachers and students about the issues in our world.

Social development was another aspect of literary learning I found interesting. In particular, I discovered the ways students can develop important skills, such as building relationships and empathy, by connecting with relevant stories within literature. I have discovered that narratives, as discussed by Harper (2016), can help young children learn more about their emotions and the emotional reactions of their peers. Through literary modelling, older students begin to understand how they can respond to situations of increasing complexity. Young adult fiction mimics the issues experienced by teenagers and provides a catalyst for self-identification (Nikolajeva, 2014). Therefore, I hope to help students learn more about themselves by promoting social interactions in response to literature and confronting content.

I identified even more ways of using literature in the classroom in a recent blog post (Clarke, 2019), including the teaching of historical events, developing personal understanding, exploring social issues, forming connections with others and promoting critical thinking skills. It is a good summary of what I have learnt about literary learning, and in the future, I hope to continue researching the benefits of young adult fiction because I know what I have found is just the beginning – more possibilities will eventuate as trends change and more diverse texts become available.

References

Chance, Rosemary. (2014). Young Adult Literature in Action: A Librarian’s Guide, 2nd Edition [Libraries unlimited]. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1197828&site=ehost-live&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_142

Clarke, J. (2018a, November 14). The future of children’s literature {blog post]. Retrieved from https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/conanthelibrarian/2018/11/14/the-future-of-childrens-literature/

Clarke, J. (2018b, November 19). Defining children’s literature [forum thread]. Retrieved from https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_35350_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_61731_1&forum_id=_143056_1&message_id=_2053345_1

Clarke, J. (2019, January 21). Learning through literature [blog post]. Retrieved from https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/conanthelibrarian/2019/01/21/learning-through-literature/

Harper, L. (2016). Using picture books to promote social-emotional literacy. YC Young Children, 71(3), 80-86. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=116991190&site=ehost-live

Huculak, S. (2018, November 18). Why read? [forum thread]. Retrieved from https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_35350_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_61731_1&forum_id=_143057_1&message_id=_2051198_1

Nikolajeva, M. (2014). Memory of the present: empathy and identity in young adult fiction. Narrative Works, 4(2), 86-107. Retrieved from https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/NW/article/view/22784/26462

Watts, P. (2015). Graphic novels offer diverse perspectives, narratives. The Education Digest, 81(2), 38-41. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=109031695&site=ehost-live