Serving Tweens in the Library & Brain-Compatible Considerations

Anderson, Sheila B. (2007) Serving Young Teens and ‘Tweens. Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.
Lesesne, Teri S. (2006). Naked Reading. Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.

Learning to read, involves learning the words and making sense of the text. Reading is a way to get information. Educators and librarians must find ways to facilitate efforts to move children beyond basic literacy skills, to enjoy more age- and developmentally-appropriate, interesting and challenging text. Reading is a way venue to provide young teens with information related to cognitive and emotional growth. Brain research indicates that the brain is still changing and developing through the teen years. (p. 33, Anderson).

Edutopia.org features information about Raleigh Philp, teacher and author of Engaging 'Tweens and Teens: A Brain-Compatible Approach to Reaching Middle and High School Students (2007), who uses brain research to develop instruction approaches for teachers to use. Research shows “that teenagers still relies on a more reactive, gut-instinct part of the brain, the amygdala, which handles emotions and memories associated with emotion” (http://www.edutopia.org/classroom-management-learning-states-teenagers-interview ). Philp points out that most middle school students are incapable of consistence in their emotions, they can vacillate from loving you one day to hating you the next. He states that “middle school teachers need to recognize that this is the outward manifestation of a brain that is undergoing profound changes”. PBS provides great information at "Inside the Teenage Brain" and "The Teen Brain: It's Just Not Grown Up Yet".

According to Dr. Thomas Greenspon (p. 66, Anderson), early adolescent development involves the following facets: social development –family and peers; intellectual- abstract thinking and decision-making; focus and self-direction; adventure and curiosity; sexuality and relationships; self-regulation and self-definition. Each of these can impact reading interests in tweens. Further, Dr. Eliza Dresang (p.81, Anderson) describes three types of “radical change” in books caused by “technology, expansions in formats and more acceptance of what should be available for young readers”; expanding the topics and materials with changing perspectives and boundaries. It is important to provide materials for tweens that address the different areas and in a variety of formats (graphic novels, verse, texting style, screenplays, magazines, etc.). These radical changes influence young readers interests in reading material for older teens. Anderson provides book lists to address the different areas. Lesesne (2006) also provides lists of magazines and humorous books and discusses teens interests in comics and horror/supernatural.

In order to serve students well, Anderson stresses the absolute necessity for librarians to embrace technology, as this is the avenue to provide information to tweens and teens. There’s a vast amount of digital resources for tweens and a variety of electronic tools to use. Tweens need to learn to efficient to retrieve information and safe ways to use it.

Partnerships between school and public libraries are also essential, as well as collaborations between teacher librarians and teachers on classroom activities. Providing a variety of materials is also critical; Anderson provides bibliographies of books that address various topics: growing up, religion and spirituality, dealing with family and friends, earning money and volunteering, academic and personal success, personal style, hobbies and interests, looking good and staying fit and true stories.