Controversial Literature: Impact on Adolescent Social and Emotional Development

Controversial Literature and Adolescent Development

• This article examines the relationship between using controversial literature in middle school English Language Arts classrooms and adolescent students’ social and emotional development (SEL).
• It considers the consequences of banning books and advocates for introducing adolescents to controversial literature.
• The evidence suggests that controversial literature fosters adolescents’ emotional and social development by:
  • Promoting critical thinking that challenges stereotypes.
  • Promoting empathy for others.
  • Revealing the complexity of how culture, race, and lifestyle affect a person’s perception and behavior (Masko & Bloem, 2017).
• Effective pedagogical methods are needed to present such literature to adolescents and young adults.

The Role of English Teachers

• Adolescence is a challenging time, and English Language Arts allows teachers to address real-world issues, global concerns, and anxieties students face.
• Students grapple with feelings about the Black Lives Matter Movement, social media, police brutality, the pandemic, LGBTQI rights, and women’s rights.
• Introducing controversial literature promotes a deeper understanding of the world.
• Studying debatable issues enhances students’ exposure to and understanding of multiple perspectives, promoting their psychological health, especially their social and emotional development.
• The teacher’s intention should be to promote appreciation for different opinions with equal dignity, not to negotiate a particular viewpoint (Gregory, 2014, p. 630).
• Students can explore meaningful conflicts they endure in their own lives by applying social and emotional learning (SEL) skills.

The Debate Around Banning Books

• Instead of banning literature (e.g., To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, 1960), the benefits of exploring controversial dilemmas should be studied.
• Books are often banned because they fall into the category of controversial literature, and schools or communities think banning solves the problem.
• Controversial literature can be the foundation for reflective, empathic, and significant class discussions and debates with proper pedagogy.
• Those interested in avoiding controversy stress potentially offensive language or explicit scenes, rather than the valuable lessons and themes within the literature.
• Books are sometimes banned because the text is misinterpreted, misunderstood, or disagreeable to the community or administrators (Pipino, 2005).
• Some explain book banning as society’s inability to embrace diversity (Lo, 2014, as cited in Knox, 2019, p. 27).
• More books are challenged because the protagonists do not fit within cultural norms (Knox, 2019, p. 28).
• Adolescents are prohibited from studying essential literature due to censorship.
• Censorship limits the opportunity to identify, understand, and critically analyze one’s complexity of mind.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Identity

• Adolescents strive for independence of thought, forming a unique identity and developing a healthy sense of self (Erikson, 1968).
• SEL contributes to an adolescent’s sense of self by:
  • Promoting healthy self-esteem and acceptance.
  • Teaching life skills for managing emotions (Neth et al., 2020).
  • Strengthening empathy and caring for others (Junker & Jacquemin, 2017; Strahan & Poteat, 2020).
• English teachers should implement SEL techniques when introducing controversial literature to promote:
  • Understanding and management of emotions.
  • Building healthy relationships through empathy.
  • Developing a strong sense of self and self-identity.
• Research suggests that the best way to include social-emotional learning in classrooms is through integrating it with course content (Wallender, et al. 2020).
• Literature is filled with wisdom of the human condition.
• Allowing students to find personal connections to characters nurtures their social and emotional development.

Integrating SEL into Course Content

• Teaching about social skills, emotional management, and interpersonal relationships alone will not produce empathy or understanding of others (Neth, et al., 2020).
• SEL programs in isolation (e.g., direct SEL curriculum or isolated advisory programs) are not the most effective way to foster students’ social and emotional development (Jones et al. 2011; Junker & Jacquemin 2017).
• When teachers integrate SEL skill-building linked to literature lessons, students improve their psychological capacity to be more aware of self and others (Strahan & Poteat, 2020).
• Including LGBT-themed literature aids in the development of students’ identity, openness, empathy, and understanding of self and others (Batchelor et al., 2018).
• Teaching controversial literature is a conduit for open communication and dialogue, supporting social and emotional development (Batchelor et al., 2018).

Effective Pedagogical Methods

• Effective pedagogical methods are needed when introducing controversial literature.
• Literature circles: Small groups read specific literature and engage in student-directed discussion, which positively impacts social and emotional development (Venegas, 2019).
  • Self-management of emotions, social awareness, social metacognition, leadership capabilities, and empathy all increased (Venegas, 2019, p. 149).
• Teacher-directed approaches can also increase emotional and social development (Yacek, 2018).
  • Presenting both sides of an argument supports critical and objective thinking, suspending judgment and bias (Yacek, 2018, p. 76).
• Student-directed video projects are an effective way to present controversial literature content (Coe, 2017).
  • Students create videos by interviewing peers from diverse backgrounds to understand different perspectives.
  • Students offer suggestions for creating a more culturally responsive classroom environment and increase interpersonal sensitivity (Coe, 2017, p. 241).

Breaking Down Stereotypes and Promoting Empathy

• Supporting adolescents’ emotional and social development can:
  • Break down stereotypes.
  • Promote empathy for others.
  • Help appreciate how culture, race, and lifestyle affect perspectives (Masko and Bloem, 2017).
• Understanding behavior is crucial for compassion and cooperation.
• Middle school students are in the formal operational stage of cognitive development (Piaget, 1939, as cited in Ewing et al., 2011, p. 69), which allows them to:
  • Think hypothetically.
  • Apply deductive reasoning.
  • Engage in reflective thinking, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
• Middle school is an ideal time to contemplate controversial issues through literature and increase social and emotional awareness.
• Allowing students to respond to each other, discuss controversial topics, and reflect upon their beliefs demonstrates how to disagree effectively.

Conclusion

• Students’ psychosocial development can flourish through discussions, group circles, essays, and videos based on controversial literature.
• Psychological growth occurs in a social context.
• Teachers can use controversial literature to help students:
  • Engage in deeper conversations.
  • Explore decision-making processes.
  • Question global and worldly conflicts.
  • Increase their appreciation of social justice.
• Research supports the inclusion of controversial literature to help adolescents become more socially and emotionally competent (Coe, 2017).
• Teachers should choose pedagogical approaches wisely to promote discussion in a safe and sensitive environment.
• Supporting psychological development should be the ultimate goal, fostering healthy, open-minded, empathic, and compassionate young adults.