Using Urban Fiction to Engage At‐Risk and Incarcerated Youths in Literacy Instruction

Abstract

The article presents a discussion of the potential of young adult urban fiction to engage at‐risk and incarcerated students in literacy instruction. The author provides an overview of the genre and an analysis of why young adult urban fiction is a good choice for educational use with at‐risk and incarcerated teens. The author also offers an evaluative process for selecting the best young adult urban fiction to use with these populations, and she shares some instructional ideas, including a list of books that met her evaluative criteria in her survey of 100 young adult urban fiction titles.

Critical Influences That Encourage Adolescent Boys to Engage in Leisure Reading

“…To identify influences on boys' literacy, the survey in this study will address questions of gender differences (Canadian Council on Learning, 2009;Clark, 2010;Fredrick, 2006;Guerra, 2012;Kirkland, 2011;Moeller, 2011;Smith & Wilhelm, 2004;Werderich, 2010), boys' feelings of competence in reading (McDowell et al, 2011;Smith & Wilhelm, 2004), and the role of teacher support and modeling (Boone et al, 2010;Bowen et al, 2012;Fisher & Frey, 2012;Fredrick, 2006;Gillespie, 2010;Werderich, 2010).…”

“…On one hand, this may be the first step to getting adolescent males to read since they can identify with the themes and characters. On the other hand, these books may simply validate and perpetuate the lifestyle that led these teens to prison (Guerra, 2012). In either case, her analysis of research shows that literacy is a powerful deterrent to incarceration as well as a factor in inmates not returning to prison once released (Guerra, 2012).…”

“…On the other hand, these books may simply validate and perpetuate the lifestyle that led these teens to prison (Guerra, 2012). In either case, her analysis of research shows that literacy is a powerful deterrent to incarceration as well as a factor in inmates not returning to prison once released (Guerra, 2012). Wheldall and Watkins (2004), however, found the idea that low literacy was linked to juvenile delinquency had become an accepted idea without a lot of evidence.…”

“…To confirm the various theories on what influences boys' literacy, the survey for this study will ask questions about gender differences (Canadian Council on Learning, 2009;Clark, 2010;Gillespie, 2010;Moeller, 2011;Werderich, 2010), African American motivation for reading and cultural capital (Guerra, 2012;Harris & Graves Jr., 2010;Hughes-Hassell & Rodge, 2007;Husband, 2012;Kirkland, 2011), feelings of competence and self-efficacy (Boone et al, 2010;McDowell et al, 2011;Smith & Wilhelm, 2004), and parental involvement (Harris & Graves Jr., 2010;Hughes-Hassell & Rodge, 2007).…”

“…High literacy rates and engaging in leisure reading in particular are shown to greatly impact academic achievement and reduce problem behavior and dropout rates (Guerra, 2012;Hughes-Hassell & Rodge, 2007 in a different conclusion about the main influence on male adolescent literacy, so this researcher would like to find his own results based on the survey developed.…”