Offers five reasons for the uncertainty in the state of the art of English instruction. Asserts the need for a theory of English instruction and offers James Moffett's theory on the universe of discourse as the one to use. (RL)

Reports on a survey of 245 Australian high school students, who wrote about what they liked and disliked about their writing experiences. Notes the implications these results have for teaching writing. (RL)

Advocates teachers' use of personal writing for both personal and professional well being. (RL)

A scientist explains the processes he uses to draft and redraft articles for scientific journals. (RL)

Discusses the development of drama as a learning tool for children's language development. Applies James Britton's methods of language classification to the construction of functional categories of language that operate within the framework of drama and creative dramatics. (RL)

Responds to the cries of a "great illiteracy scandal." Notes where some of the problems exist in literacy instruction, and why they might contribute to a literacy crisis. (RL)

A partial report of research on high school student response to literature, using Alan Purves's categories of engagement, perception, interpretation, evaluation, and miscellaneous. (RL)

A program developed for adult aboriginal and part aboriginal underachieving students uses the novel "Wild Cat Falling" in the admission studies course of an Australian college. The program combines a study of literature with language and skills development components, encourages student self esteem, and allows students to learn through their own…

A comprehensive approach to a critical study of the mass media is presented in this journal insert, which also provides a format for planning an integrated unit. The main section of the insert focuses on seven questions and their answers concerning: (1) selection of the topic, (2) justifying a mass media curriculum, (3) entry experience, (4)…

The teaching activities presented in this document have been selected from a series of language study units prepared for teachers by the Queensland Language Development Project task force as part of the Studytalk project. They focus on inquiring into some of the varieties of language most accessible to teachers and students. In each of the three…

A detailed teaching model designed to develop effective reading skills in content areas (ERICA) is presented in this document. The paper begins with a discussion of the four stages of the ERICA model: (1) preparing for reading, (2) thinking through information, (3) extracting and organizing information, and (4) translating information. The paper…

To be used in conjunction with discussions on course planning and overall school assessment, this booklet outlines the different audiences and kinds of evaluations the English teacher needs to consider. The booklet contains lists of questions for parents, students, administrators, and teachers who evaluate instructional goals, strategies, and…

One in a series of annual publications, this booklet contains reviews of books relating to the teaching of English and the language arts. The books are divided into 12 categories: teaching principles and practice, source books and course books, writing, teaching reading, books for the slower reader, dictionaries and oral work, prose, poetry,…