Proposal Title
Destigmatizing Mental Illness Through YA Literature
Abstract
There exists a stigma surrounding mental illness that influences adolescent students. Students who suffer from mental illness are unkindly given labels that not only dehumanize, but also isolate individuals from their communities. In this poster session, we will share how utilizing Young Adult (YA) literature featuring protagonists who deal with mental illness can be effective in destigmatizing mental illness in the classroom. When students impacted by mental illness see their worlds mirrored in these novels, they may understand that they don’t have to suffer or be alone, and feel encouraged to reach out for help. Other students may utilize this literature as windows or doors into another perspective. In this way, they can learn to empathize and act more kindly towards those dealing with mental illness around them We will also present considerations that teachers should keep in mind when selecting and incorporating this literature in the classroom.
We will further share a selection of carefully chosen YA novels that positively portray characters with mental illness. These novels focus on the intersectionality of character identity and do not solely define individuals by their mental illness, therefore including many themes ripe for classroom discussion.. The protagonists in these novels learn the importance of building ally-ships and connecting with others. Each of these novels carries a message of hope and recovery.
Start Date
27-3-2019 12:00 PM
End Date
27-3-2019 12:50 PM
Room Number
U-Hall Atrium
Presentation Type
Poster
Disciplines
Disability and Equity in Education | Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching | Secondary Education and Teaching
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Full Text of Presentation
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Destigmatizing Mental Illness Through YA Literature
There exists a stigma surrounding mental illness that influences adolescent students. Students who suffer from mental illness are unkindly given labels that not only dehumanize, but also isolate individuals from their communities. In this poster session, we will share how utilizing Young Adult (YA) literature featuring protagonists who deal with mental illness can be effective in destigmatizing mental illness in the classroom. When students impacted by mental illness see their worlds mirrored in these novels, they may understand that they don’t have to suffer or be alone, and feel encouraged to reach out for help. Other students may utilize this literature as windows or doors into another perspective. In this way, they can learn to empathize and act more kindly towards those dealing with mental illness around them We will also present considerations that teachers should keep in mind when selecting and incorporating this literature in the classroom.
We will further share a selection of carefully chosen YA novels that positively portray characters with mental illness. These novels focus on the intersectionality of character identity and do not solely define individuals by their mental illness, therefore including many themes ripe for classroom discussion.. The protagonists in these novels learn the importance of building ally-ships and connecting with others. Each of these novels carries a message of hope and recovery.
