Describes two writing activities (based on S. I. Hayakawa's discussion of biased thinking in his book "Language in Thought and Action") that are designed to enable students to recognize and become sensitive to closemindedness. (KEH)

Discusses strategies (based on S. I. Hayakawa's abstraction ladder) to encourage connected thinking in student writing. Describes a recent cross-disciplinary workshop seeking to improve student essay writing and evaluation. (KEH)

Presents classroom activities (based on "Language in Thought and Action" and intended for use at various grade and ability levels) divided into four areas of general semantics: (1) language as symbolic process; (2) meanings of words in context; (3) referential and emotive language; and (4) relationships between language and thinking. (KEH)

Describes the use of language analysis and speech-act categories (declarations, assertives, directives, commissives, and expressives) to deal with meaningful classroom concerns, thereby enabling the teacher and students to work more effectively together. (KEH)

Describes a system to evaluate writing in which students use extensive marginal notes to comment on their own writing processes. Provides sample notes from a variety of student papers to illustrate the effectiveness of this system in increasing student knowledge and involvement. (KEH)

Describes a year-long evaluation procedure in which students accomplish greater involvement in assessing their own learning, beginning with a first-day questionnaire on learning and writing assumptions, continuing with writing workshop experiences, and culminating in a coursework evaluation project and publication. (KEH)

Outlines the importance of essay tests as a method of learning and discovery. Suggests ways of helping students approach essay questions, how to determine what information is necessary for a complete answer, and how to fulfill those requirements. (KEH)

Presents the comments and insights of seven experienced teachers concerning changes in teacher certification. (KEH)

Reviews and recommends 10 recently published books in which adolescent protagonists deal with being uprooted and transplanted. (KEH)

Lists the recommendations and rationales by eight teachers for books they use in their English classes dealing with politics, government, or public language. (KEH)

Reviews William Lutz's book "Doublespeak: From 'Revenue Enhancement' to 'Terminal Living'--How Government, Business, Advertisers, and Others Use Language to Deceive You." (KEH)

Describes how writing fiction helps students to write more effectively, think more critically, and enter difficult territory of complex issues. Illustrates how two students' stories led into discussions of meaning and values. (KEH)

Describes how one teacher dealt with a rebellious sophomore Honors English student and how they learned to listen to each other. (MG)

Provides comments from five teachers in response to an article in the same issue of "English Journal" concerning a teacher's handling of a rebellious high school student. (MG)

Describes a flexible format for a literature unit which avoids the problems associated with a structure which is too rigid or allows too much latitude for students. Notes that the students produce some excellent thinking and writing. (MG)