The benefits of playwriting as a process for students are yet to be fully understood. While there is scarce research on playwriting pedagogy, the research that does exist suggests that playwriting provides several benefits for students relating to self-esteem, literacy and language development, as well as increased engagement in school and the…

The paper first traces the history of thinking about language from the Greek writers of the fifth century BC to the development of the first Greek grammar in about 100 BC. Since the glories of Ancient Greek literature predate the development of grammar, there is every reason to doubt the received wisdom that one must have an explicit knowledge of…

Garth Boomer had been a seminal influence on this author's practice and thinking as a young English teacher in the 1980s. When asked to present the Garth Boomer Memorial address in 2009, the author realised that he would be speaking on his fiftieth birthday, thus the desire to take the opportunity to reflect on his teaching life was overwhelming.…

Presents 6 sample lessons with resource materials useful at the elementary and secondary levels. (RB)

Discusses the role of the home and the school in remedying language problems of the culturally disadvantaged. (RB)

Present 8 sample lessons for use by English teachers attempting to improve the language skills of their students. (RB)

Considers how literature and the modern media influence the quality of children's language development. Provides samples of student responses and student writings, showing how they react to literature and learn from it. (RL)

Discusses the relationship between individuals and societies, equating human experience and development--particularly language development--with fiction making. Notes the implications this outlook has for English teachers. (RL)

Argues that the extent of a child's sense of story influences the child's prediction of syntax and comprehension. Suggests ways for teachers to encourage children to develop their sense of story. (RL)

Surveys recent research in language acquisition, emphasizing the views of M. A. K. Halliday. (RL)

Shows that the need to choose between literature-centered or experience-centered English instruction is a delusion, because instruction in literature also adds to the child's experience of language. (RL)

Offers a framework used in two workshops of elementary and secondary school teachers for looking at classroom practices in non-English subjects that assisted in life-long language learning. (RL)

Discusses some of the problems of language education and concludes that during the middle school years, children are potentially very aware of language and receptive to new ways of exploring and exploiting it. More needs to be learned about this critical stage of language development. (JM)

Reviews one study of writing across the secondary curriculum and focuses on interrelationships of language development, research, and teaching. Advocates that school systems institute guidelines by which all teachers, regardless of their specialist areas, take responsibility for students' overall language development. (RL)

Outlines a program, Breakthrough to Literacy, and emphasizes that primary education teachers must understand the linguistic principles which underly reading and writing skills and apply them to methods and materials used in the classroom. (RL)