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Description

Using a children’s book or YA novel as an introduction, or a piece to draw students’ attention to a particular topic can harness the power of emotions help our students connect with, learn, and retain course material more deeply (Cavanagh, 2016).

While the plot-line of children’s books may appear simple, the issues addressed can be quite complex. The newest wave of children’s literature addresses a wide range of socially sensitive topics such as racism, poverty, death, gender identity, police brutality, war, and immigration (Johnson, 2014) and often does so in a way that invites discussion rather than foreclosing it.

Though it is not commonly viewed as appropriate material for the college level, children’s literature can put a “face” on any given subject (Carter, 2012), encourage critical thinking (Frey & Fisher, 2008), enhance motivation (Versaci, 2009), and provide a safe context to discuss sensitive topics.

Publisher Location

Las Vegas (Nev.)

Publication Date

1-23-2021

Publisher

UNLV Office of Faculty Affairs

Language

English

Keywords

Children's and young adult literature; Higher education

Disciplines

Education | Higher Education | Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

File Format

pdf

File Size

423 KB

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Using Children's and Young Adult Literature in College Classrooms


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