AdLit News Headlines

How we as Americans approach restrictions on literature curriculums is not only flawed but also wholly reactionary. My experience at that meeting and others convinced me that the problem is not that we disagree but how. We need to shift focus away from reflexive outrage about restrictions and bans and toward actual discussions of the merits and drawbacks of the individual books.

For a long time, conventions have stated that middle grade books should focus on friendship and family, while YA books focus more on romantic love. And choices for middle school readers who love romance are few and far between. But there are some great ones out there. And this seems to be changing with more tween romance books being published in recent years.

As the only person in his immediate family born in the United States, Ezat Sharifi feels a sense of obligation to help immigrants. That’s why he recently joined a small group of students in Howard County, all first generation U.S. Citizens or immigrants themselves, in raising more than $1,200 for Afghan refugees living in their community.

This thrilling period in human development is often misunderstood.

Teachers can guide high school students to be active participants in their learning by having them work together on authentic tasks.

If not for a statewide pitch competition for entrepreneurial students, three Indianapolis high schoolers likely wouldn’t have started their business. And they certainly wouldn’t have seen that company, Find Ideal Applicants, earn $20,000 in early-stage investment that valued the company at $1.5 million.

Their success stems from involvement in Indiana’s annual Innovate WithIn contest, which carries a $25,000 prize and offers entrants the chance to work with industry leaders to bring their proposed products to market.

Very short stories also known as flash fiction, micro fiction, drabbles, and the like are a delightful form of fiction. They are tiny punches of great writing and can come in all genres.

From building improvements to keep blind and visually impaired students safe to culturally responsive libraries, here’s how Philly’s Lindback Award-winning principals plan to use their prize money.

From discussions about teen mental health to explorations on the possibility of alien life, the 2022 Student Podcast Challenge offers a glimpse into the mind of kids and teens from across the country. This year, the contest received well over 7,500 minutes of podcasting from 45 states and the District of Columbia. While all the entries spotlight a different topic, one thing is clear: we need to listen to kids more often – and we don’t often get the chance to.

Teachers can use these tools to give students feedback, and seek feedback in return, to support deeper understanding and growth.

The widely adopted Next Generation Science Standards raise the bar on what middle school students should know and be able to do. Are there enough well-trained teachers to help students get there?

The NYPL has voiced its opposition to a recent spike in book banning across school districts nationwide. The books will be released through NYPL’s “Books For All” program, which makes hundreds of titles in the public domain available to anyone nationwide.

Nothing beats a good adventure story except a good adventure story with a healthy dollop of magic. Middle grade fantasy books have been beloved by multiple generations of readers, and every year seems to see magical new adventures being published. 

A middle school teacher’s quest to know what students wish adults “understood” about them has sparked interest in the eye-opening responses she received.

Mental health organizations say we must ‘Seize the Awkward.’ No question talking about depression and suicide are hard conversations. Now a new campaign encourages young adults and teenagers to open up to each other.

Researchers call the pressure to be a high achiever, popular and attractive in students the ‘superhero ideal’. Students aiming to be perfect in all aspects of their lives, and inevitably failing at this goal, may end up depressed.

The young adult genre has been one that young and up-and-coming Latinx authors have been making major headway in for several years now, and this year is no exception. There are literally dozens of Latinx YA novels being published in 2022, including quite a few that we’re really looking forward to not just picking up for our kids, but for reading ourselves as well.

The world can break your heart; so can books. But books can also help to mend our brokenness, sometimes by diverting our attention from it, sometimes by speaking directly into the pain and sadness. Banning books that are truthful and helpful, even when they present a difficult reality, only shrouds these materials with forbiddenness that ultimately invites more curiosity among children.

As kids enter their teenage years, interest in breakfast is much more hit-and-miss. It can slowly morph into a chore as opposed to an enjoyable morning ritual. Read to learn more about the reasons teenagers might skip the first meal of the day.

First of its kind study also shows pandemic-related burdens on Latino/a families such as COVID hospitalizations, job loss and financial difficulties.

High schoolers pondering career plans ask themselves a host of questions: What kinds of work do I enjoy? How much money do I want to make? What am I good at? Now add this one to the list: Do I want to be able to work remotely?

A survey of 11th and 12th graders in the United States and similarly aged students in the United Kingdom found that 19 percent of the 16 to 18 year-olds were taking the ability to telecommute into account in their career considerations. 

Teaching students to identify and express their own emotions and consider those of others, empowers them and sets them up for learning. 

Several common educational strategies lean into the idea that, in the classroom, challenge is something to embrace.

Listen as Good Morning America hosts discuss the National Institutes of Health’s exploration of why some kids get hooked on social video feeds and the effect they may have on brain development.

Expecting the worst of students is a self-fulfilling prophecy

In a new book, veteran teacher Geraldine Woods shares insights from a quarter-century of directing an independent study program.

For many at St. George Academy, a tiny Ukrainian Catholic high school in the East Village, the country currently under attack by Russia is home and the pull toward home remains strong. 

Digital materials can provide desired privacy in some scenarios while creating problems in others. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, English language arts (ELA) teachers have increasingly relied on digital materials and online tools to expand student access to books and content, facilitate online collaboration, and deliver learning experiences. Here we provide five recommendations for teachers committed to protecting student and family privacy.

High school transcripts look more impressive than ever, but they often don’t reflect actual learning. One big reason that is generally overlooked: the elementary and middle school curriculum fails to equip kids with the knowledge they need to do high school level work.

More than 4 in 10 told the health agency they felt ‘persistently sad or hopeless’.

Museums for Digital Learning was developed in partnership with teachers and provides curated material on a variety of subjects.

Makenzie Thompson, 18, didn’t originally plan to apply to over 50 universities. But after attending college fairs and receiving fee waivers, she ended up applying to 51 schools. So far, she has been accepted to 49 and is still waiting to hear back from one more.

From Lisa Fipps’s Starfish to Amber McBride’s Me (Moth), these 21 novels in verse for middle grade and teens favor poetry over prose. Share them during National Poetry Month and all yearlong.

Lexicon Lane, the newest exhibition at Planet Word, opened March 26 and offers word-sleuthing adventures to puzzle-loving visitors.

BookTok serves an important role in that it centers readers and their preferences in an organic, grassroots-type structure.

A large study in Britain found two specific windows of adolescence when some teenagers are most sensitive to social media.

Superintendent Lamont Jackson in San Diego understands how disadvantaged students can succeed by asking many questions.

Social media, pampering parents, increased pressure to succeed – ‘kids these days’ deal with a lot. But is it making them grow up faster or slower than previous generations?

A teacher stopped penalizing late work and started asking students questions about why assignments were late. Here’s what he learned.

In the oscar nominated film, CODA, teenager Ruby balances the pressure of work on the family fishing boat with school and dreams of a singing career, a life that might take her away from her Deaf parents. Here are three YA novels that young fans of CODA might enjoy.

Rereading is accompanied by a sense of perceptual fluency, which students can then mistake for comprehension.

Every night, a K-8 public school in San Francisco converts its gym into a shelter for local families experiencing homelessness — and it’s helping kids

As kids get older, waking them in the mornings can feel like a herculean task. Teens are already sleep-deprived, will a permanent time change be detrimental to their health and wellness?

The 10,000 hour rule is often described as the amount of intensive practice it takes to achieve mastery of complex skills and materials, but is that all it takes? According to researchers there’s another important variable: how good a student’s teacher is.

The dilemma, of how and when to discuss painful or traumatic events in class, has become more complex for teachers over the past few years. Focusing on persuasive communication as well as historical and civic perspectives provides opportunities for students to make connections and process world events in real time.

Whether it’s virus worries, social pressure, shyness or acne, some kids are reluctant to ditch the mask.

Teenage girls get less sleep and exercise than boys, and are three times as likely to report struggling with their mental health. Those are among findings drawn from the experiences of almost 40,000 teenagers across Greater Manchester (U.K.).

Far more American high school students are graduating compared to a decade ago. Their grades are higher, too but their scores on national exams are no better, and in some cases scored worse, than graduates a decade ago. Why?

We can learn from our predecessors, understand what problems they were trying to solve, and use that wisdom to create the solutions for today and tomorrow’s children. 

Actor-comedian George Lopez has a four-book deal for “Chupacarter,” a series of “fantastical middle grade books” that combine humor, “Latinx mythology” and memories of Lopez’s childhood. Lopez is working with co-author Ryan Calejo and illustrator Santy Gutiérrez.

Teens’ brains need more sleep, so later start times are good for academics. But for kids who work and families who rely on that income, the shift will hurt.

Learn about the News Literacy Project that helps educators teach middle and high school students how to identify credible information, seek out reliable sources and know what to trust, what to dismiss and what to debunk.

Sometimes working out the best way forward for a young person and their mental health takes a lot of time and trust. When I see young people in my day-to-day work to help them with their mental health it becomes evident to me who the real “experts” are.

After a childhood of loving literature that didn’t value characters that look like her, Gray is honored to be able to give the next generation a glimpse at themselves in a magical fantasy world. The author of the New York Times Bestseller ‘Beasts of Prey’ is bringing black stories to fantasy literature and the screen.

As the news of Russia invading Ukraine dominates news cycles, teachers throughout the country are helping students navigate the wave of emotions that comes with devastating world events. They’re providing much needed historical and political context. And they are doubling down on media literacy practices amid the flood of misinformation online. But teaching about the invasion of Ukraine can be tricky.

From fighting for family rights to representing their beliefs, read about some fantastic middle grade novels that dive into the world of activism and fighting for one’s beliefs and right to be themselves. Happy reading!

Lorey Wheeler, CYFS research associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is working to better understand how newcomer immigrant adolescents perceive school climate, and how those perceptions affect their academic and social success. 

Tweens and teens can feel overwhelmed and may not know how to discern “normal” growing pains and feelings from something that’s more serious, and when they need help. Adults are not always skilled at recognizing symptoms or knowing what to do, either. Thankfully, a growing field of middle grade books tackles these issues and presents readers with authentic pictures of what mental illness may look like, how it can be treated, and how very normal and common it is. 

Differentiated tasks can help ensure that all learners in the classroom are engaged, including those who are ready for more challenges.

Harvard Ed School’s Brandon Foster hit crossroads in juvenile detention center. He chose life helping kids see their choices.