Adolescent Perspectives on Critical Contemporary Young Adult Literature as Cultural Connection

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 25
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Examinations of Literature in the Education of Students of Color

Abstract

This study examines adolescent narratives around school-based texts and pedagogy compared with out-of-school contemporary text choices and dialogic interactions in a justice-oriented book club. Referencing current struggles Black and Brown adolescents experience when investigating the intersection of police brutality and adolescents of color, as well as harmful school-based practices, through text and dialogue, this study honors adolescent intellectual collaborative work, highlighting their voices and detailing their advice for educators. Five themes were generated from the narrative data viewed through an iterative critical discourse analysis informed by critical race theory. The themes explored here rest upon the necessity for teachers to step out of their comfort zones and incorporate texts and pedagogy that reflect the contemporary concerns of adolescents of color.

Authors

• Katherine Haq, SUNY - Buffalo

• Lori Potteiger, SUNY - Buffalo