Teaching Literature to Adolescents

This text for pre-service and in-service English education courses presents current methods of teaching literature to middle and high school students. The methods are based on social-constructivist/socio-cultural theories of literacy learning, and incorporate research on literary response conducted by the authors.

Teaching Literature to Adolescents – a totally new text that draws on ideas from the best selling textbook, Teaching Literature in the Secondary School, by Beach and Marshall – reflects and builds on recent key developments in theory and practice in the field, including:

• the importance of providing students with a range of critical lenses for analyzing texts and interrogating the beliefs, attitudes, and ideological perspectives encountered in literature;
• organization of the literature curriculum around topics, themes, or issues;
• infusion of multicultural literature and emphasis on how writers portray race, class, and gender differences;
• use of drama as a tool for enhancing understanding of texts;
• employment of a range of different ways to write about literature;
• integration of critical analysis of film and media texts with the study of literature;
• blending of quality young adult literature into the curriculum; and
• attention to students who have difficulty succeeding in literature classes due to reading difficulties, disparities between school and home cultures, attitudes toward school/English, or lack of engagement with assigned texts or response activities.

The interactive Web site contains recommended readings, resources, and activities; links to Web sites and PowerPoint presentations; and opportunities for readers to contribute teaching units to the Web site databases.

Instructors and students in middle and high school English methods courses will appreciate the clear, engaging, useful integration of theory, methods, and pedagogical features offered in this text.