LANG 3019 Children's and Young Adult Fiction

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Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 102205

Coordinator Nicola Burke Opens in new window

Description This unit explores a wide range of fictional texts created for children, teenagers and young adults from folktales, fairytales and myths to contemporary examples. It focuses on the relationship between young people, the texts created for them and the cultures in which these texts are produced and read. The unit will examine a variety of genres and themes, for example, the experience of childhood as constructed by adult authors of children's texts; post-colonial children's literature; the emergence and development of distinctly Australian children's texts; the development of young adult; literature; the impact of new technologies on children's literature; and role of art in children's literature.

School Humanities & Comm Arts

Discipline Literature

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 3 subject

Equivalent Subjects LANG 3017 - Children's Literature

Restrictions Successful completion of 60 credit points of study in currently enrolled program.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
  1. Critically describe the history, features and contemporary understandings of children's literature and young adult fiction.
  2. Explain how young people's texts are cultural artefacts produced in and through discourse that arise in particular social, historical contexts
  3. Undertake critical analysis of young people's texts from a variety of genres.
  4. Identify and engage in key debates and issues around children's literature and young adult fiction.
  5. Explain how young people's texts are cultural artefacts produced in and through discourse that arise in particular social, historical contexts.

Subject Content

1. What is children's literature and young adult fiction? The discourses that construct children's and young adult fiction will be examined, including educational and societal assumptions about the nature of childhood/adulthood/adolescence and what young people's fiction is, or should be.
2. The social, cultural and political contexts of children's and young adult fiction will be examined, including post-colonial children's literature, the emergence and development of distinctly Australian children's texts, issues of gender, identity, race and ethnicity.
3. Genres and themes in young people's fiction: the variety of texts for young people and the practises and assumptions that shape them.
4. History of children's literature, including folktales, fairy tales and myths.
5. Role of the visual in children's literature and young adult fiction.
6. Bridging the worlds of childhood and adulthood: the development of "young adult" or teenage/adolescent fiction.
7. Young people's fiction and popular culture.
8. Young people's fiction and new technologies.
What is children's literature and young adult fiction? The discourses that construct children's and young adult fiction will be examined, including educational and societal assumptions about the nature of childhood/adulthood/adolescence and what young people's fiction is, or should be.
The social, cultural and political contexts of children's and young adult fiction will be examined, including post-colonial children's literature, the emergence and development of distinctly Australian children's texts, issues of gender, identity, race and ethnicity.
Genres and themes in young people's fiction: the variety of texts for young people and the practises and assumptions that shape them.
History of children's literature, including folktales, fairy tales and myths.

Assessment

The following table summarises the standard assessment tasks for this subject. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated, where there is a difference your Learning Guide takes precedence.

Item Length Percent Threshold Individual/Group Task
Short Answer 1,500 words 35 N Individual
Essay 2,500 words 45 N Individual
Short Answer 1,000 words 20 N Individual

Teaching Periods

Structures that include subject