Let's Talk About It! - Growing Readers Intergenerationally

We have observed fascinating results due to our intergenerational interactions with books.

Guided intergenerational reading sparks conversation at home – books provide a safe avenue for teens to discuss their own lives and feelings.

Young people see sides of their parents and other adults they might not otherwise encounter and vice versa.

Young people see adults as readers, and adults learn what is current in good young adult literature.

Adults become aware of reading strategies and response activities that teens engage in at school to help them construct meaning from a text.

Intergenerational conversations about literature foster confidence and independence in young people.

Teens welcome the opportunity to respond creatively to literature (especially when they know that their efforts will be viewed by an audience.)

A literacy program brings together diverse members from a community to help build community.

Yes, an intergenerational literacy program can help rekindle interest in reading and talking about books, for teens and adults alike. In this family program, our circle might include a younger sibling aged five or six and an eighty-year-old grandmother.

The group could be small–six or seven participants–or it could expand to twelve members. In its many forms, our “Let’s Talk About It” series continues to be a popular and ever-evolving event at the Emporia Arts Center.

Dr. Gerrit W. Bleeker, was Professor of English at Emporia State University, whose specialized in young adult literature, English education, and American literature. He served on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards for English Language Arts.

Barbara Bleeker taught in the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education at Emporia State University, where she was a specialist in children’s literature and reading and writing connections. She and Gerrit Bleeker co-authored a column about children’s and young adult books for the Topeka Capital Journal.

An advocate of all art forms including literary arts, Catherine Rickbone was the Executive Director of the Emporia Arts Council, where she encouraged community-based programs such as “Let’s Talk About It” so people of all ages could celebrate the arts.

Printed in Voices of Youth Advocates

Vol. 26, No. 4, October 2003