Presents annotations of 11 books for teenage readers which deal with the self-consciousness, isolation, separation, loneliness, or difficulty fitting in that teenagers often experience. (SR)

Presents 13 books which were suggested by teachers in response to the question: "What adult novel published during the 1980s would you recommend in your classroom?" Includes annotations for each book which describe it and its effects in the classroom. (SR)

Discusses research on the role of teacher help in process-oriented writing instruction. Maintains that, as students become more competent writers, teachers must withdraw as collaborators, or students will not become independent writers and process-oriented instruction will become another form of product-oriented instruction. (SR)

Argues that the educational system is fundamentally incapable of serving the fastest growing school-age population--limited and non-English speaking children and the culturally diverse. Discusses six specific recommendations for secondary English teachers to prepare for this fast-growing population. (RS)

Notes that less than 1% of the new Prentice Hall American literature textbook, "The American Experience," is devoted to works by writers with Hispanic surnames. Offers two guidelines for the selection of literature outside the anthology: independent choice by students and teachers; and indigenous literature which arises from students' own culture…

Offers an 83-item annotated bibliography of works by Chicano authors suitable for high school students. Cites novels, short stories, poetry, drama, works in the oral tradition, anthologies, and biographies which are still in print and which are bilingual or mostly in English. Describes sources found to be most helpful in compiling this…

Notes that the percentage of Black and Hispanic teachers continues to decline as the number of Black and Hispanic students increases. Argues that minority teacher candidates are being screened out by state-mandated competency testing. Argues that reversing the scarcity of Black and Hispanic teachers will take time, money, and commitment. (RS)

Describes a three-week language-study unit in which students search for the meaning of their names. Describes how students use reference works, create symbolic drawings, read stories and articles, record information in their journals, interview family members, and work in small groups drafting and revising imaginative stories based on their…

Describes a two-week class activity in which students attempt an extended definition of an abstract word, working collaboratively and using the library's reference material extensively. Notes that students take careful notes on both the information and their search processes, and integrate the information into a mini-research paper detailing their…

Describes a three-week "Introduction to Language" unit for seventh graders. Notes that students feel ownership of the unit because of the amount of choice and sharing involved. Describes the unit's mini-lessons: human language; origins and development of language; symbols and words; meaning in context; and growth and change in language. (RS)

Surveys 40 middle-school language-arts teachers in 3 local public school districts. Finds that (1) most teachers believed it was important for their students to master grammar; and (2) teachers spend considerable time teaching grammar. Argues that grammar deserves a prominent place in the middle school curriculum. (RS)

Argues that grammar instruction can be more effective if put in a realistic context by: (1) becoming part of an integrated curriculum; and (2) concentrating on the proofreading stage of writing assignments. Illustrates integrating various components of the language-arts curriculum by briefly describing a unit using a short story. (RS)

Describes a classroom grammatical activity in which the teacher isolates typical sentences from textbooks and writes the individual words on placards. Describes how students are each given a placard and asked to form a sentence. Reports that students enjoyed this activity and began to get the feel of language and sentence structure. (RS)

Describes the positive impact of using reading and writing workshops (as described in Nancie Atwell's "In the Middle") in an urban school. Argues that the workshop format can work for large classes composed of students at many different ability levels and from many different cultures and races. (RS)

Argues that only by reading the same piece of literature at the same time, or by rereading jointly a passage from a work read earlier and in solitude, can students learn what reading strategies other readers use. Argues that reading can be assigned without destroying the spirit and energy of the reading/writing community. (RS)