| Young Adult Literature and Multimedia--Resources |
Being in on the Joke:
The Importance of Understanding Teen Slang
By Deborah McElmeel, M.A.T.
UW-Stout: Young Adult Literature
Student: Skeet, skeet, skeet, skeet.
McElmeel: [Pulling student quietly aside] Do you think that is an appropriate thing to sing in class?
Student: It's just a song. [Boys nearby giggle]
McElmeel: Well, it would be better to sing that outside of school, and remember skeeting doesn’t prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
Student: [Staring in a shocked manner; boys nearby laughing heartily now] You know, Ms. Mac?
McElmeel: [Smiles]Yes.
Do you know what "skeet" means? What about "OC", "emo", "chillaxin", and "rides"? Everyone is doing it . . . talking about teen slang. I have read articles in the New York Times, Good Housekeeping, and journals for writers of young adult literature. One article gives tips on how to develop credible teen dialogue for a book with a teen target audience (Smith, 2007), but most articles seek to decipher teen slang. Why is knowledge of teen slang important for a teacher of young adults?
One way for students to feel connected to literary characters is for characters to have a complex persona that mirrors a modern teen. Thus, the teen sees himself/herself in the position of the literary character and is pulled into the story. If this is to be a viable means of engagement, using knowledge of current slang to select books that will appeal to your students is a must. This will ensure the selected book has a "believable story with authentic dialogue" (Smith, 2007). I am not suggesting this is the only way to engage a student in a piece of literature, but it is certainly one way.
I am cognizant of the fact that one of my jobs is to model formal language usage and use age-appropriate vocabulary in context to facilitate student word acquisition, but I seldom use slang terms myself. I occasionally joke with students using slang, but it is clear to the students when I have entered professional mode. Professional mode means that I acknowledge the ideas they express in slang, but respond and, often, reiterate their ideas in formal language. I find knowledge of slang to be a powerful tool, when used in this manner. I am connecting and understanding my students, but at the same time I am effectively modeling more academically appropriate language. My students see me as their teacher, not someone who is trying to be a teenager again, but they respect that I have taking the time to understand them.
Provided that you buy my reasoning why slang knowledge is so important, how does one become knowledgeable? One suggestion I have is to read young adult magazines. Another suggestion might be to read slang dictionaries, but I would caution you to make sure these are very current. The nature of slang means that it is ever changing, and an old resource is more of a historical document than a way to understand your students. What I often do is listen to my students, jot down slang words I don't know, and then look them up on Urban Dictionary, an online slang dictionary with entries by savvy slang users. One doesn't need to worry about the definition on Urban Dictionary being "wrong". The definitions are peer reviewed and corrected by other users, if necessary. I wish you good luck in building your slang vocabulary.
Suggested Reading:
Halpin, Brendan (2007) How Ya Like Me Now. Farrar Straus Giroux Publishing.
Alex and Eddie are cousins and opposites who are thrown together in high school, when Eddie’s mother becomes involved with drugs. The title is after a song by hip hop artist Kool Moe Dee, and the book contains current hip-hop style slang.
Sanchez, Alex (2001) Rainbow Boys. Simon and Schuster Publishing.
Jason, Kyle, and Nelson are three high school seniors who deal with gay issues. Though a little outdated, the slang used to refer to homosexuals contains terms still used. The book is part of a trilogy.
References:
Greco, P. (2006). Say what? A glossary of teen slang. Good Housekeeping, 242 (5), 158-160. Retrieved February 10, 2008 from EBSCO Research Databases.
Harlan, M., Loertscher, D., & McElmeel, S. (2005). Young adult literature and multimedia: A quick guide. Salt Lake City: Hi Willow Research & Publishing.
Peer educators at Planned Parenthood in Milwaukee (2006). What’s your teen cultural literacy? Contemporary Sexuality, 40 (10), 6-5. Retrieved February 10, 2008 from EBSCO Research Databases.
Safire, W. (2007). Campuspeak. The New York Times Magazine (September 30 2007) p. 46.
Smith, L. (2007). Dear Writer. Writer, 120 (5), 8. Retrieved February 10, 2008 from EBSCO Research Databases.
Various Authors (1999-2008). Urban Dictionary. Retrieved February 10, 2008 from http://www.urbandictionary.com/.
These lesson plans, guides, and other resource materials for young adult literature topics were created by participants in a professional development course in young adult Literature. Each resource is copyrighted by the individual educator who developed the material. The present course being taught is titled: Teaching Young Adult Literature in the Classroom from the University of Wisconsin-Stout (Sharron L. McElmeel, instructor)