Hirschi 1

PROPOSAL
TO: Professor Griffin
FROM: Rachel Hirschi
DATE: 20 May 2021
SUBJECT: “The Value of Teaching Modern Young Adult Literature in the Classroom”

PURPOSE

My purpose in writing this paper is to prove the high educational value of teaching modern
young adult literature (YA lit) in the high school English classroom. I want to explore how
teachers can successfully incorporate a substantial amount of modern young adult literature into
the classroom while still dedicating appropriate time to classic literature. I will research and
explore the benefits of teaching classic literature as well; however, since many people already
place strong emphasis on the value of the classics, my main goal is to research and showcase the
equally high value of modern YA lit. I believe that incorporating modern YA lit into the
curriculum has the potential to greatly improve the learning, performance, and experience of
high school students in the English classroom. I believe that incorporating YA lit has the
capacity to increase the engagement of students in the classroom with its accessible language,
relatable characters, and modern issues. With young adult literature, there will be more interest
in the material, more participation, more motivation to work hard, and a greater appreciation for
literature. I believe this engagement will result in better performance and more effective learning
in the classroom, which I believe will carry over to the units on canonical literature as well. It is
also possible that the incorporation of YA lit in the classroom would be especially beneficial to
reluctant readers and students of lower reading ability as it would allow them to read something
they are more interested in, familiar with, and able to understand. I wish to explore these topics
in my research and support my standpoint with strong evidence, including research on student
performance and engagement in classrooms that already substantially incorporate YA lit into the
curriculum versus ones that do not. I hope to find teaching methods that effectively navigate
these two important areas of literature, so that students can receive the most effective learning
experience in the English classroom. I believe this research will reveal that the substantial
incorporation of young adult literature into the classroom is not only beneficial, but essential to
the student learning experience.
My research will focus on the following questions:
• What are the benefits of teachings canonical literature in the classroom? (Bonetti;
Cavender)
• What are the benefits of teaching modern young adult literature in the classroom?
(Crowe; Gallagher; Tighe)
(- Do students relate more with YA lit more than canonical literature? [Bonetti;
Crowe; Guthrie; Miller; Tighe])
(- Can YA lit help reluctant readers? [Crowe; Tighe])
 Hirschi 2

(- Can YA lit help students with their understanding of canonical literature? [Bonetti;
Crowe])
• Does more engagement result in more success?/What is the effect of engagement in the
classroom? (Bonetti; Cockroft; Guthrie; Miller)
• What is the difference in the effectiveness of learning in classrooms that incorporate
modern young adult literature and ones that do not? (Miller)

BACKGROUND
.
I have always loved reading, and I especially enjoyed my high school English classes. I loved
analyzing literature and finding the deeper meanings of the novel. I loved exploring the messages
that raised thought-provoking questions about about the world around me or taught me important
life lessons. As someone who is passionate about literature, I thoroughly enjoyed my English
classes, but many of my classmates did not share the same enthusiasm. Many of them did not
enjoy reading the books we were assigned, they often expressed that they did not understand the
book, and they struggled to analyze the novels. This was mostly because the vast majority (or all)
of the books we were classics. We read hardly any young adult literature for class, if at all. These
students who already did not have a deep interest in reading were even more disinterested and
unenthusiastic about reading a book that did not have relatable characters, did not touch on issues
relevant to them, and was not written in a way that they could understand. Unfortunately, these
students were disengaged, and their performance and learning experience suffered. I think that if
my high school English classes had included young adult literature in addition to the classics,
these students would have been more interested in the material, more motivated, and more
engaged. This would have resulted in them actually learning the literary skills that the teacher
wanted to teach us, their performance would have been much better, and they would have
actually enjoyed the class.

As a future English teacher, I want to instill my love for literature into my students, so I want to
find the most effective method to teach about literature in a way that facilitates increased
engagement, effective learning, and high performance in all my students. I think that young adult
literature can reach certain students in ways that classics do not. I think that incorporating more
YA lit into the curriculum would prove beneficial for the learning of all students and allow
students to be successful and develop an appreciation for literature who may not have otherwise.

SIGNIFICANCE

There is an ever-increasing amount of young adult literature being published, and much of this
literature is incredibly well-written, with powerful, important messages, just like the classic
works of literature. Many of these modern works are even widely acclaimed, as the classics are.
As these young adult works are of particular relevance today, it may be worthwhile examining
them in the classroom. These works of literature may address social, global, or other issues that
are present in the world today, making these works of particular significance to today’s students.
Teaching these works in the classroom provides a unique opportunity to address these current
issues through current literature. Another important aspect to keep in mind is that language is
 Hirschi 3

constantly changing. The correct language used now is different from the correct language that
was used decades ago. One aspect of English class is teaching grammar, and modern literature,
written with modern grammar, would be a useful tool in reinforcing the grammar rules currently
taught in schools.
In researching studies that have been done on the impact of young adult literature on students
(Miller), as well as the different techniques used by teachers, I hope to learn how I can most
effectively integrate young adult literature into the classroom along with the classics (Bonetti). I
hope to determine how this balance can be achieved so that students can receive the benefits that
come from studying young adult literature while at the same time still benefitting from what
canonical literature has to offer (Bonetti; Cavender).
The success of students in English class is pertinent to their academic and professional lives, as
the critical thinking skills, analysis skills, and written communication skills that they learn in
English class are essential in many academic and professional situations (Cockroft; Gallagher).
Thus, it is important that students are engaged and learn effectively in their English classes. If
incorporating young adult literature results in the increase of engagement and performance in the
English classroom (Bonetti; Crowe; Gutherie; Miller; Tighe) then it is crucial that this
integration occurs. The increasing amount of studies like mine that prove the effectiveness of
incorporating Young Adult literature in the classroom could lead to this approach being
implemented in more schools. Studies like mine also could result in the exploration and
incorporation of other new teaching methods that increase student engagement and achievement.
The world is constantly changing, as are the needs of the students in our classrooms, so it is
important that teachers always seek to find the most effective teaching methods for the success
of their students.

DESCRIPTION

I will study online scholarly sources of secondary research, such as peer reviewed journal articles
and studies that have been conducted on the subject. These resources may be found through the
McKay library databases or Google Scholar. I will also study from online non-scholarly sources
such as news articles, and articles and webpages created by teachers.

OUTLINE
Working Thesis: Increased incorporation of modern Young Adult literature into the high school
English classroom will result in the increased engagement, performance, and overall experience
of students.
 Hirschi 4

• Personal annecdote relating to the topic, such as what I observed in my high school English classes (see
"Background").
• Introduction of topic and definition of key terms and concepts
Introduction

•Thesis: Increased incorporation of modern young adult literature into the high school English classroom
will result in the increased engagement, performance, and overall experience of students.
• The addition of YA lit will engage students more than classics do on their own, which will result in
increased student learning, performance, and enjoyment of the class.
• This increased engagement will transfer over to the study of the classics as well.
My Position •(See Response for more of my position.)

• Classics are of more value than modern literature and significantly more emphasis should be placed on
classics in the classroom.
• Allowing students to rely on "easy" YA lit will result in them not learning as much.
Opposing
View

•Sometimes modern young adult literature can reach students when classics cannot.
•This is especially the case with reluctant readers.
•Incorporating more YA lit allows for the success of all students in the classroom.
•YA lit can teach the same message as classics, and the same cognitive and literary skills can be learned through YA lit.
Response •There is actually grave danger in only teaching the classics, i.e. what students are not interested in.

•Restatment of thesis: Increased incorporation of modern young adult literature into the high school English classroom
will result in the increased engagement, performance, and overall experience of students.
• Review of main points
Conclusion •Some sort of "so what?"-- why all this is important to the reader, how this relates to real life.

METHODOLOGY

I will use the databases available through the David O. McKay Library, including EBSCO, J-
STOR, Wiley online library, and PRO-QUEST, to find and study peer reviewed articles and
journals, as well as studies that have been done on the subject. I will also utilize Google Scholar
to find these scholarly sources that allow me to research these topics and provide evidence for
my paper. I will also use Google to find and study non-scholarly, but still reputable and helpful,
articles and other information about the subject that will help me to learn more. I may find
various opinions and experiences from teachers and students in articles like these, which
information is very insightful. These non-scholarly articles may also link to scholarly research
that has been done, so these articles can be a way of finding scholarly sources as well.
 Hirschi 5

PROBLEMS

Some articles that I will try to access through Google Scholar will not be available to me without
purchase or subscription. To solve this problem, I will check if the same article is available
through any of the databases that the McKay library offers. If not, I will try to find a similar
article or another useful article that is available to me through those databases. Another problem
I may face is having difficulty finding evidence from scholarly sources that support one of my
arguments. For this, I could use evidence from other non-scholarly, but still reputable, sources to
support my claim. However, in this case it may be better to choose a different argument that can
be better supported with evidence from scholarly sources. Facing difficulty in determining what
to write next or in finding scholarly evidence for certain arguments could be resolved by slightly
changing my focus or argument for that part of the paper. Keeping in mind that my thesis can be
modified throughout the writing process as I develop my paper will be useful when I encounter
certain problems. Some people may be opposed to an increased integration of modern young
adult literature into the high school curriculum, as they think significantly more emphasis should
be on the classics. To resolve this, I will include strong support for why both areas of literature
are beneficial in the classroom. This will show them the value of modern young adult literature
as well as allow them to know that I see the value of teaching the classics as well.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bonetti, Jacob. "Engaging Secondary Students: The Beneficial Intersection of Young Adult and
Classic Literature.” All NMU Master's Theses, Northern Michigan University, 2021,
https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/651. Accessed 24 May 2021.
This article discusses how teachers can incorporate both young adult and canonical literature in
the classroom. This article mentions that young adult literature can benefit students in ways
canonical literature cannot, such as being more relatable and therefore more conducive to
engagement, but it also addresses the value of canonical literature and proposes techniques that
teachers can use to effectively integrate both types of literature in the classroom. It even
discusses how incorporating young adult literature can help students better understand canonical
literature. This article will help me address the value of canonical literature in my paper, it will
allow me to provide examples of techniques teachers can use to integrate the two types of
literature, and it will support my argument that teaching young adult literature can help students
with their understanding of canonical literature as well.

Cavender, Bailey. “In Defense of Classic Literature.” The Educators’ Room, 13 Feb 2020.
Accessed 24 May 2021.
This article is written by a current high school English teacher and discusses the value that
canonical literature has in the modern classroom. I will use this when I discuss the benefits of
teaching canonical literature, showing that I see the value of the classics and am not against
teaching the classics; I am simply arguing for the inclusion of more young adult literature in the
curriculum.
 Hirschi 6

Cockroft, Charlotte, and Atkinson, Cathy. “‘I Just Find It Boring’: Findings from an Affective
Adolescent Reading Intervention.” Support for Learning, vol. 32, no. 1, Feb. 2017, pp.
41–59. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/1467-9604.12147. Accessed 24 May 2021.
This article discusses the findings from a study that attempted to increase the motivation to read
in a set of students. One point of this article that will be useful to me is that reading engagement
and motivation are strong predictors of reading performance. This article also discusses the
positive and negative long-term effects that come as a result of acquiring or not acquiring literary
skills. This supports my argument that engagement and motivation result in increased
performance and emphasizes the importance of developing these literary skills in school, which I
argue is best achieved when students read material that facilitates engagement.

Crowe, Chris. “Young Adult Literature: Rescuing Reluctant Readers.” The English Journal, vol. 88,
no. 5, 1999, pp. 113–116. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/821799. Accessed 24 May 2021.
This article mentions that young adult literature caters to reluctant readers because it is written
with teenagers in mind; authors of young adult literature know how to please and engage teenage
readers. This article discusses how this young adult literature can help reluctant readers discover
a love for learning, which can then lead reluctant readers to read other texts as well, such as the
classics. These points support my argument that young adult literature can engage reluctant
readers when other texts do not. This article also supports my argument that this engagement can
transfer to canonical literature as well.

Guthrie, John T., Susan Lutz Klauda, and Danette A. Morrison. "Motivation, Achievement, and
Classroom Contexts for Information Book Reading." Adolescents’ Engagement in
Academic Literacy, 2012, 1-51. Accessed 24 May 2021.
This source explores factors that affect motivation and achievement in English classrooms. One
finding the article discusses is that a student’s achievement is connected strongly to their
dedication to read. One main element that students reported increased their dedication to read is
relevance. The students also described many teacher-assigned texts students as “boring,
irrelevant, and difficult to understand.” I will use this article to support my argument of the
importance of student motivation and its connection to student achievement. I will also use this
article to support my argument of the importance of teaching texts relevant to the students, such
as young adult literature.

Gallagher, K. Readicide: How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It.
Portland, ME, Stenhouse, 2009.
This source discusses the dangers of schools only assigning readings to students that they are
uninterested in. Not only does this result in low levels of motivation and engagement in that
particular class, but it can result in an aversion to reading academically and recreationally in
general and prevent students from building lifelong reading habits. I will use this source to
emphasize the importance of ensuring that reading experiences in schools are enjoyable so that
students develop an appreciation for reading rather than an aversion. This supports my argument
 Hirschi 7

that books that students enjoy, such as young adult literature, should be included in the
curriculum.

Miller, D., and Anderson, J. The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every
Child. San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass, 2009.
This article focuses on how teachers can help students develop a love for reading while
interacting with challenging and difficult texts. One topic the article discusses is the effect of
having young adult literature included in a classroom library; in the study, the students’
motivation to read increased with the inclusion. This article also discusses student-chosen text
and states that students who were able to choose what they read scored higher than average on
comprehension assessments as opposed to students who were not given a choice in what they
read. I will use this article to support my argument how young adult literature in the classroom
increases motivation and engagement, which increases learning and performance.

Tighe, Mary Ann. Using Young Adult Literature to Motivate Reluctant Readers or What Do You
Do When They Haven’t Read Their Assignment. Nov. 1991. EBSCOhost. Accessed 24
May 2021.
This source discusses how young adult literature can meet adolescent readers’ interests and
needs in ways that the traditional literary canon cannot, while still providing opportunity for the
development of literary skills. This source also discusses that including young adult literature in
the classroom can help students enjoy reading and appreciate the beauty of literature, which does
not often happen with high school students without the inclusion of young adult literature. This
source supports my arguments that young adult literature can reach students in a way that
traditional literary cannon cannot, that it can better instill a sense of appreciation for literature in
high school students, and that it still provides an opportunity for the development of literary
skills.

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL

I feel passionate about this topic as I believe this is a great way to increase the engagement and
performance of students in the classroom. This is important to me as a future educator who wants
students to receive the most effective learning experience possible. However, the desire for
students to learn effectively and enjoy their schooling is something that I believe is universally
important. Increased study and evidence of the true educational value of modern young adult
literature may result in the increased integration of this literature into curriculum, which could
result in dramatic improvement in performance and learning in high school English classrooms.
Due to the positive impact that this has the potential to have on my future classroom and many
others, I respectfully request approval of this research project.