Through the semester, we’ve read and discussed YAL and approaches to incorporating YAL into our classrooms. The final project for our course, the YAL Portfolio will invite us to demonstrate our ability to:
1) define and provide examples of quality YA texts
2) analyze YAL from multiple theoretical frames (e.g. Youth Lens, YA Pedagogy)
3) provide a justification and rationale for the use of YA texts in a middle and high school ELA classroom context
4) apply innovative pedagogical knowledge to the teaching of literature, YAL specifically, and various English Language Arts concepts
5) design accommodations to ESOL students and emerging readers
Portfolio Components
The YAL portfolio includes five components described below (that will also be explained and workshopped in class):
1. Core Text Analysis
For your core text analysis, you will write a brief analysis of your core YA text from a Youth Lens and discuss how it fits into your evolving definition of quality Young Adult Literature. You will also explain how your text set fits into your vision for your classroom community (connect to your Reading Community Manifesto) and the qualities of YAL pedagogy (see Buehler)
2. Core Text Rationale
For your core text rationale, you will write a book rationale geared toward a specific audience (admin, parents, school board, etc) detailing why your YA text is important for students to read.
3. Text Set
For your text set, you will choose a unifying idea to organize your teaching of your core text and choice of additional texts you would pair with that core text. Your unifying idea might be a chosen essential question, concept/theme, inquiry topic, YA lit genre, author, or other unifying principle. Once you’ve chosen a unifying idea, you will pick seven companion texts that can be taught alongside your core text and explain how you will connect to the core text’s themes and/or essential questions. The list of companion texts include:
One Middle Grade Level YA Book
One High School Level YA Book
One Nonfiction Text (book, news article, etc.)
One Classic or Canonical Middle Grade or High School Level Book
One Movie or Video
One Song or Poem
One multimodal text of your choice
4. BDA Teaching Applications
For your BDA teaching applications, you will plan pedagogical approaches for teaching your core text and develop before, during, and after reading activities to go along with your core text. You will also discuss how you will make accommodations for ESOL students and emerging readers as they read and interact with your core text and/or the texts in your text set. How will you supporting ESOL students and emerging readers as they interact with the text(s) you’ve chosen? What alternative texts would be helpful for them? What types of scaffolding might you provide?
5. Multimodal element
Finally, you will create a multi-modal element of your choice that supports your definition of quality Young Adult Literature and the teaching of your core text. Examples include, but are not limited to: digital book talks/reviews, interactive online story maps, graphic novel or comic, digital fan fiction, social media posts/videos, core text choice boards, podcast episodes, etc.
