Argues that thematic units may be the best way to avoid the lack of compelling journal writing topics. Argues that themes introduced in a journal writing assignment prior to the study of the text are good preparation for reading. Presents some examples of themes, topics, and accompanying literary works. (RS)

Responds to Ken Donelson's "Professionalism: English Teachers' Rights and Responsibilities" (EJ v77 n4). Argues that English teachers are professionals regardless of public perception, but they lack a perception of themselves as professionals. Concludes that teachers don't need more lists of requirements, but more respect for diversity of teaching…

Presents the suggestions of seven contributors concerning ways to publish student writing, including: school magazines, community involvement projects requiring written communication, reproduction and dissemination of students' work within the school's library system, contributions to commercial literary magazines, and "public" readings of…

Argues that teachers can capture the minds of students in vocabulary development by regularly using ABC picture books in the secondary English classroom. Reports that teachers using these books have considerable success with low ability students and college-bound seniors alike. Describes the use of four ABC books. (RS)

Provides a brief description of nine works of historical fiction which teachers have found successful in skillfully weaving the facts of history into fictional presentations capable of drawing the reader into the time period. Deals with chronological periods ranging from the old stone age to the mid-twentieth century. (RS)

Reviews research on the effect of computers on writing. Concludes that students will not automatically revise and write more successfully with a word processor, that students tend to submit papers with fewer mechanical errors using word processors, and that they enjoy writing more and may collaborate more. (RS)

Discusses ways to empower students through writing, using their own voices, plumbing their own lives for stories, poems, and essays; and engaging them in dialogue with their peers about writing and literature. (RAE)

Presents a model for working with students at risk, helping them develop critical thinking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Includes cooperation of the local community relations officer for the police department. (RAE)

Presents a series of exercises aimed at helping students generate lines and ideas for their poetry. (MM)

Presents a series of three lessons based on found poems. Including a discussion on what poetry is; developing a poetic; and sharing poetry with others through peer analysis and small group discussion of each student's found poem. (RAE)

Discusses how to assess student poetry, focusing on the qualities of internal logic, tone, music words, figurative language, stanzas, line length, space, detail, voice, and "life." (MM)

Describes a course unit on fiction writing with an emphasis on motivating students to see value and relevance in writing. (RAE)

Describes a series of exercises in which students discover and work with a character, then place that character into the context of a short story. (MM)

Describes one high school English teacher's experiment with assigning stories instead of analytical essays. Argues for retelling and storytelling as a valuable resource in the high school curriculum. (RAE)

Describes a class novel writing assignment and points out its obvious benefits to the students' understanding of the novel genre. (RAE)