Countries: US

Discusses multicultural influences on young adult literature. The Studio Class learns “10 Quick Ways to Spot Racism and Sexism” in a children’s book and discusses how some books may culturally misrepresent diverse American communities. Discussion also touches on how stereotyping and misrepresentation affects students’ perception of diverse ethnic and cultural groups. Studio Guest: Alfred L. Woods, published author and poet (University of Illinois – Champaign).

Examines the growing interrelationship of mass media. Videotaped inserts demonstrate the current student attitudes on books, movies, computers and the Internet. The Studio Class discusses the powers and limitation of young adult literature. The series closes with a discussion on classrooms as a “space to begin to make those socially responsible, political, and economic decisions that concern all our lives as we move though the 21st century.”

Outlines two diverse ways to analyze the suitability of a literary work. Students learn to examine the merits of a work on two different levels – by category and by “essential literary elements”. Discussion explores the various categories of literature available, and defines the structural elements of literary works targeted to young adults.

Examines the appeal of many of the most popular young adult books. Students are given an in-depth description of the merits of 100 books popular with middle and high school students. The class also includes a bibliography of “must reads” by African American authors recommended by the NCTE Black Caucus. Studio Guest: Dr. Diana Mitchell, Teacher and past president of ALAN (Assembly for Literature of the Adolescent – National Council of Teachers of English).

Encourages a fact-finding trip to the local public library. The viewing audience is challenged to document the young adult offerings at their local community library. The Study Guide directs the viewing student to find out about the annual circulation of books among young adults at the public library, discover the range of programs designed for them at the library, and request advice from the Librarian as to how teachers might create or enhance their own classroom library to better serve their age group. Studio Guest: Dr. Diana Mitchell, Teacher and past president of ALAN (Assembly for Literature of the Adolescent – National Council of Teachers of English).

Explores over thirty popular themes for related Language Arts units. The concepts of “Single Issue Study” and “Thematic Units” are discussed. Students are guided in finding multiple diverse ways of helping young adult readers connect to the material and find ways to make sense of the their world. The importance of student-driven input, discovery, and response is emphasized.

Explores criteria for selecting literature for theme units. The Studio Class reviews the components of a good thematic language arts unit, emphasizing the five features that aid teachers in selecting the right book for the unit. Also included are the five steps to meaningful Readers’ Theater activities and sources for finding scripts and support material. A demonstration of Readers’ Theater is offered in a videotaped presentation of “Lincoln: in His Own Words”.

Summarizes how culture, tradition, and stereotyping influence young adult literature. This class examines how literature serves as an agent for socialization for young people, how the current media culture is influencing reader expectations, and how the business of publishing is shaping literary offerings to the young. The use of short stories in the classroom is also discussed. Studio Guest: Dr. Diane DuBose Brunner (Michigan State University).

Offers criteria for evaluating historical literature. Studio Class discussion centers on such topics as the place of political correctness in period literature, the delicate balance between literary license and historical accuracy, and the educational value of literature from a perspective of history. Studio Guest: Dr. Diane DuBose Brunner (Michigan State University).

Establishes guidelines for incorporating dramatics in the classroom. This lesson covers various approaches to fostering classroom dramatics. Topics include role-playing, improvisation, choral reading and Readers’ Theater. Discussion also touches on ways to encourage classroom students to write and produce original dramatic works for audio or video recording.