Jeanne Henry

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Texting . . . An Unexpected Affordance for Inclusion

by Jeanne Henry, Hofstra University & Keriann Boorum, freelance ASL/English interpreter, Hofstra University

DeafWhile a handful of YA authors have written about or at least included Deaf characters, Deaf teens remain underrepresented in YA literature. Unfortunately, the depictions that do exist are not as accurate as teachers might like, which serves neither the Deaf nor hearing communities. If hundreds of YA authors were suddenly inspired to depict Deaf teens, both so that these teens might see themselves in the pages of books and so hearing teens could learn a thing or two about Deaf people, they would encounter an immediate challenge: Continue reading →

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Games Are Ancient* and So Are the Reasons Teens Play Them

by Jeanne Henry, Hofstra University; Tonia Asare-Smith, Dreamweaver House, & Hofstra University; Tashema Spence, Pathways to Graduation, NYCDOE, & Hofstra University

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERATo an outsider, the appeal of gaming can be baffling, at best and, at worst, non-gamers, especially of the adult variety, can be quick to judge the character of button-mashing game devotees. But two YA books that go a long way in illustrating the considerable depth and dimension to video game play Continue reading →

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What YA Novels Can Teach Us About Coming of Age Online: The Digital Tongue

Introduction
by Jeanne Henry, Hofstra University & Gina Sipley, Nassau Community College & Hofstra University

TextingThe best YA authors have a nose for what’s next, and so it was no surprise to me in 2005 when I came across Lauren Myracle’s TTYL— a book told entirely in the teen discourse of the day, AIM (AOL Instant Messenger). In the decade since TTYL made its appearance, other YA authors have begun to depict the lives of teens who move through the digital world and for whom coming of age often happens online. Continue reading →