Using games as a bridge to reading...

In the latest edition of School Library Journal dated 1 September 2010, Beth Gallaway writes about using games as a means of enticing tweens and teens to read. In an age when electronic games are all the rage, reading and books have fallen farther down the activities that children/tweens and teens do during their spare time.  

I enjoyed reading the article titled "Readalikes Using games as a jumping off point for book selection" as Ms. Gallaway discusses the popular games and books that relate to them.   She breaks down possible reading selections into video games, online gaming and table top games.  Each game she lists also has genre categories that librarians can then use to locate more books for potential readers. 

Using something tweens and teens really like to encourage reading is a brilliant idea that many librarians should be using.  Don't we ask children what they like before selecting or suggesting books?  Why not use the games they play?   Just as with everything, there is room in tweens life for gaming and reading.  In fact, some parents do not want their children gaming or watching television just before bed so this is the perfect time for some fun reading to help slow down before trying to fall asleep.

The more I contemplate this idea of using games, the more I like it.  Unfortunately for most of us, we are not knowledgeable enough about the popular games for tweens.  That is when a list like the one created and shared by Ms. Gallaway can help us find a book or genre that will tempt a reluctant reader.

Gallaway, B. (2010). Readalikes. School Library Journal, 56(9), 24-25.

Reflections on what tweens are reading..

One of the questions for reflection this week is on what tweens are reading.   Having a tween daughter, I can elaborate on what she reads but since we are a bit odd in our reading habits, I decided to look closer at what the current tween best sellers are for a better picture.  Checking Amazon for Children's Bestsellers, the first 40 books is an amazing combination of series books, a few picture books and vampire/fantasy genre.

Since Amazon is a book store of sorts, the best seller selection is not always based on what tweens are actually reading but can give a good suggestion.  The first 10 books include several titles from the Hunger Series, a title from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Heroes of Olympus and a few other titles.   the fact that a book on pre-order is #2 (the newest in the Diary series) is a strong indication that these popular books remain a mainstay for many tween readers. 

The next place I looked is School Library Journal for a look at reviews on up and coming titles.  Several books caught my fancy but I don't know how the tweens or teens will like them.  One is entitled "Revolution" by Jennifer Donnolly. A tale of teens in two different times, the French Revolution and current times weaves the depression and fears of each character into a story of wonder.

While looking through School Library Journal, I came across several articles that have further enhanced my understanding of the importance of using any tools possible to enhance the reading time and pleasure for tweens.

Marketing and web availibility to tween girls

Our readings this week include investigating several sites on the web that relate or are for tween girls.  While the information and sites are helpful to girls, someone suggested on our discussion post that materials and information for boys is sadly lacking.  Having worked with young boys in a daycare setting for years, I can see the lack of tween age materials for them being somewhat of a problem. 

Granted many boys in the tween age group are still interested in playing outside, riding bikes, running around and such, there are plenty who find sitting around watching television or playing video games to be just fine.  Is this lack of variety due to the boys themselves or the lack of marketing to boys?  That is the chicken and the egg question all over again.  Boys as a rule, do not "require" the clothes, makeup, shoes, and hottest new products that girls do.  For tween girls there is a never ending list of the latest gadgets, music, etc that manufacturers can market too.  Tween boys though do not seem to have the same "needs".  Some of it is obvious- boys don't wear make-up, do their hair, fawn all over the latest male singer, wear several different sets of clothes in a day (sports being the exception) and so on.   What would manufacturers market to boys?  Sports equipment, new bikes, maybe some hot new sports shoes but that does not represent nearly the market share that girls do.  

Some of the dichotomy maybe due to the expense difference but some of it is simply that boys more than girls tend to be seen as either a "child" or a "teen", at least in my experience. 

Tweens and reading during middle school

During my readings this week, I read an article about using reading aloud in middle school and high school to precipitate and increase pleasure reading among the tween and teen age groups.

The article, Reading Aloud to Teens gains favor, discusses how reading from more than textbooks increases interest in the subject being taught. Yet, the majority of people think of reading aloud as something only for small children. But the increasing usage of audiobooks proves that every one enjoys listening to a book or story.

One of the fascinating parts of the article discussed the positive response of middle schoolers to listening to stories. The teens enjoyed and learned more from the oral stories than just reading.

while not all my thoughts, for the moment, I still have more research to do on this subject.

Update:  After doing some more thinking and reading, I am inclined to believe that the oral traditions from ages past led to better understanding of the stories told and read.  These days teens listen to music for what appears to be hours a day.  The result- they can recite the lyrics by heart although they do not always comprehend the meaning.  

So, if we put dates, vocabulary, or any other data to music, would they retain it better? 

According to a Fox News Exclusive on education on Sunday September 20, 2010 a company called Flocabulary is doing just that.  According to their website, Flocabulary uses hip-hop and rap to teach math, social studies, science, reading, writing and vocabulary.  Created in 2005, Flocabulary claims that learning to music improves motivation and retention.  Their products are used in schools throughout the United States and the testimonials indicate an increase in learning and memorization. 

Can tweens benefit from something like Flocabulary?  As with everything tween, it most likely depends on the individual. 

Harrison, B. and Rappaport, A. (2010). Flocabulary retrieved from http://www.flocabulary.com/

Tweens and marketing to the new teens...

Are tweens the new teenagers?  Even though they do not have jobs or their own disposable income could they be the newest and youngest consumers?  Tweens would love to think they are the newest shoppers and should be catered to by the ad executives, stores and most of all their parents BUT most parents will not agree with them.   Unfortunately, many ad executives will.  

Tweens are an emerging demographic of children stuck between childhood and teenage. Until recently, they have simply been children or preteens but with new technology, increasing consumerism and what some consider fading family values, these children have turned into a market unto itself.  By 9 or 10 (8 by some accounts) many girls and some boys are leaving childish activities behind and looking forward to becoming miniature adults like many of the teens they know.  

Marketing specialists do everything they can to help promote this attitude by tweens.  "By treating pre-adolescents as independent, mature consumers, marketers have been very successful in removing the gatekeepers (parents) from the picture—leaving tweens vulnerable to potentially unhealthy messages about body image, sexuality, relationships and violence." (The Tween Market)  Pulling tweens away from parents provides a further disconnect from a support system that wants to see tweens stay children longer rather than become teens faster.   And most parents will admit that they feel they know better than their tweens what is best.  Imagine that.  

How can we as library students and future librarians help these tween consumers?  Since we are not marketing specialist and can't replace parents, we need to look for opportunities to provide support and help when it comes to the magazines, books and music available in the library.   Workshops and group classes on handling peer pressure, computer safety, being market savvy and other pertinent information would be the best way to safely disperse information.

The Tween Market Retrieved from http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/parents/marketing/issues_teens_marketing.cfm?RenderForPrint=1