How to evaluate YA Literature

1. Howtoevaluate YA Literature Waleska J. Rodríguez Bonilla University of El Este Prof. Dr. Evelyn Lugo December 9, 2010

2. Importantthingstoconsider • Reading is facing a huge enemy. • Kids have learned in school that reading isn't fun. • Yet our current generation of kids has grown up on video games and Internet downloads as their primary entertainment venue. • YA are spending their spare time becoming television-watching couch potatoes. • YA instead turn to video games, iPods and website surfing for their free time entertainment.

3. Tipstoteachliterature • Teach books and short stories you loved yourself. • A teacher who doesn't like the piece will not convey a love of reading to the class. • Consider pieces that are culturally significant and therefore have meaning for the individuals in the class. • Nancie Atwell (1998) insists that, “Allowing readers to select their own books has a major impact on students’ fluency, reading rate, and comprehension”

4. ¿Questions? • Literary qualities • Accuracy and Currency of facts and interpretation • Stereotypes • Plot • Theme • Language • Author’s perspective • Illustrations

5. YA literature should: • teaches adolescents about diverse peoples and the world beyond their community, • provides pleasure reading, • demonstrates the range of human emotions and allows adolescents to experience them as a result of reading quality literature, • reveals the realities of life, • provides vicarious experiences, • focuses on “essentials” that make order out of chaos, • depicts the functions of institutions of society, • allows readers to escape into the realms of fantasy, • introduces readers to excellent writers and writing, and • increases literacy and the ability to analyze literature.

6. Grade Level Expectations /Reading R.8.1 Analyzes the text, establishes purpose, identifies author’s purpose, and distinguishes text features to enhance comprehension. R.8.2 Applies context clues, reference sources, and other vocabulary expansion strategies to assess word meaning using prior knowledge to relate to new meaning; uses prefixes, suffixes, and root words to determine the meaning of unfamiliar, multiple-meaning, and compound words. R.8.3 Distinguishes main from supporting characters, compares and contrasts characters traits, and explains setting in fiction and nonfiction; distinguishes between first and second person point of view. R.8.4 Sorts and organizes relevant events, states cause and effect, makes connections, predictions, and inferences, determines problem and solution, and draws conclusions in narrative, expository, and persuasive texts. R.8.5 Distinguishes between fact and opinion in narrative and expository texts; states and paraphrases main idea or topic, and determines important details. R.8.6 Uses elements of poetry to identify and interpret genre, imagery, and symbolism.

7. References • Vandergrift Kay E. RetrievedonDec. 3, 2010 fromhttp://comminfo.rutgers.edu/professional-development/childlit/YoungAdult/index.html • Dunnaway Michelle.(2010).RetrievedonDec. 3, 2010 fromhttp://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/teachersatwork/2169/ • Bucher K.|M. L. Manning. (2006).Qualities of Young Adult Literature. Retrieved on Dec. 5, 2010 from http://www.education.com/reference/article/qualities-young-adult-literature/ • Puerto RicoDeparment of Education.(2007).Standards and Grade LevelExpectations.