Part 6: How Do Adolescents Develop?

Part 6: How Do Adolescents Develop?

As previously discussed in “What is Young Adult Literature?”, YA is geared at an audience between the ages of approximately thirteen to eighteen--or adolescents. It has adolescents as protagonists, and frequently addresses gradual issues of adolescent development and growth. Thus it is important for the Library Media Specialist to understand the aspects of adolescent development when recommending literature.

There are various aspects of adolescent development, including intellectual and physical, moral, and phases of growth in terms of being a reader. The physical development of an adolescent, or puberty, entails a number of changes, and teens tend to ask the question of what is “normal.” This involves a great deal of self questioning and is often a difficult time for teens, whose physical reality may eclipse other aspects of their lives at times. Many books focus on this transition, and these can offer assurance to adolescent readers.

Piaget discussed theories of “concrete” to “abstract” thinking development in adolescence, beginning at around the time students reach the YA age. Concepts in literature are more easily understood and discussed by readers as they develop into more abstract thinkers. This intellectual development should definitely be taken into consideration when discussing literature with students and how much scaffolding to use in that discussion, as well as what books should be recommended.

Developmental tasks shift as children transition into young adults. One of these includes learning to get along with peers, and choosing peers--teens may begin to identify their peers based on mutual interests as opposed to those who are simply nearby. They may also feel that they have been left behind, and have lost their peer group. Opposite-sex friendships also shift, and how teens relate to other genders as well as their own. Relationships with parents and adults change, and teens begin to question their own belief system. This affects moral and value development of adolescents, who may also be beginning to question their purpose in life.

All of these stages are gradual and challenging. They do not follow a specific order, but are ongoing. In the 1950’s, Lawrence Kohlberg expanded upon Piaget’s theories from the ‘30’s in an effort to explain how moral reasoning develops as people age. He identified three basic levels of moral development, from basing decisions on physical consequences such as rewards and punishments (pre-conventional), to basing decisions on parents’/adults’ beliefs (conventional), to finally making moral decisions based on self-decided values (post-conventional). Putting other people first or pursuing civil disobedience for the sake of others would be considered post-conventional. In looking at moving students from concrete to abstract thinking, books that can be understood should be provided, while the message can provide a challenge. Simultaneously, students’ needs, from basic physiological, to higher emotional, must be taken into account when recommending literature.

Rogé, P. (2018, November 14). Hungry Students in California. Retrieved June 18, 2019, from https://nature.berkeley.edu/food-systems-projects/hungry-students-in-california/

Development as readers includes several stages, from developing empathy to reading for aesthetic experiences. Based on the theories of Doneslon and Nilson, Dr. Perry and Dr. Lesesne address the idea of reading at the level of unconscious delight, reading autobiographically (books as mirrors), and reading for vicarious experiences (books as windows). It is important for librarians to ensure that collections contain such books. Philosophical speculation is raised when students are at this level of reading. Reading for the sheer beauty of the book and its experience is considered reading for aesthetic purposes. While not necessarily sequential and mutually-exclusive, these are all important stages in the development of a lifelong reader, and must be taken into consideration, as missed opportunities may result in an individual not being an avid reader later in life.

In considering students’ needs, I was also reflecting on the more recent emphasis on provision of meals to move past students’ most basic needs before it was mentioned in this chapter. Additionally, I am in complete agreement with providing for students’ needs to be safe and cared for. I take meeting this need very seriously, and have most recently been reflecting on meeting students’ need for eye contact and direct attention, which I was reading about in another context. I believe in respecting students’ opinions, and in Maeslow’s presupposition that students’ highest need is self-actualization. Finally, really resonating with me was the idea that as librarians we should seek to meet students’ varied needs both interpersonally, as well as through books with recommend and discuss.

The idea of helping students to move through reading stages really resonates with me because, while I do believe the potential to become an avid reader can be met later in adolescence, I do see adults who never move past these stages and take up reading for pleasure at all. This makes me wonder what may have been missed during their schooling years. Also, I recently read a blog post in which the writer questioned why so many adults have taken up reading Young Adult literature as opposed to Adult fiction. This was not something I had spent a great deal of time considering until this point. I read YA for the primary reason noted by the writer, that it is enjoyable, but I also read it to evaluate it for actual young adults. However, the writer raised the question of whether something being “enjoyable” was a good enough reason for adults to choose it alone over works intended for their own ages and stages. Another article suggested a trend that adults may be wanting to change YA altogether so that it is more suited to them than to actual teens, creating a potentially alarming shift that could result in books no longer being written specifically for teenagers. Considering these concerns in light of reading development, I have to wonder if perhaps some adults today missed out on a full experience at each of these stages. I personally feel I missed out on YA as a teen and viewed books more as windows than as mirrors then, causing me to place more value on YA as an adult.

In any case, discussing the significance of the reading stages has convinced me even more than ever of the need for qualified librarians. It is a tragedy--both at the individual and societal levels--when people do not become avid readers and continue to grow developmentally. Thus, the librarian, as part of the educational community, has the unique opportunity of playing an invaluable role as sincere listener, learning guide, and needs-provider in students’ development.