Considers how student resistance to literary characters who violate stereotypes can shape the meanings constructed within the interpretive community of the classroom. Concludes that because negative student responses can limit the potential of literature to illuminate human experiences, they must become a formal part of the curriculum, another…

Describes how a teacher educator uses a Web-based discussion board to promote reflection, encourage engagement, and develop collegiality in preservice teachers. Investigates the effects that a discussion board (forum) created on a website would have on the discourse and reflection of preservice teachers. Considers how the discussion board would be…

Looks at the ways in which a group of girls perceived themselves and how their perceptions and behaviors changed as they moved from the sixth grade to the seventh grade. Focuses on the ways that early adolescents develop their identities in school contexts. Concludes that the girls indicated that they were grateful for their occasions when they…

Uses the blues to teach the universal Faust theme, which was a common motif expressed in many lyrics coming out of the Mississippi Delta region in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. Uses this opportunity to open students' eyes to a musical form often overlooked and misinterpreted in mainstream culture, and to improve students' critical…

Describes the theoretical foundations, classroom context, and activities of a multicultural literature study (based on S. F. Staples'"Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind") in a ninth-grade English language arts classroom. Shares understanding and philosophy of multicultural literature and the merits for including it in classrooms as an integral part of…

Discusses how a literacy intervention program found success among struggling readers in prison. Describes "Turning a New Page," an unconditional literacy project that develops vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and self-esteem in the older, reluctant reader. Concludes that older, reluctant readers need motivation and respect in learning…

Calls for more attention to literacy teaching practices and teacher education that acknowledge sexual identity and orientation as key aspects of youth identity development. Discusses experience-based pedagogy and classroom interactions around sexual identities and texts. Notes the need for research and scholarship in the field of literacy and…

Presents annotations of 30 trade books on this year's list of Young Adults' choices that are the results of voting by students in five different regions of the United States. Notes that the books selected were published in 2001 and each book had to have at least two positive reviews from recognized sources. (SG)

Provides some historical perspectives on bilingual instruction for adults. Discusses several factors that currently have an impact on education for language-minority adults. Makes a case for the development of bilingual instruction for adults. Concludes with an example of what bilingual instruction might look like in a classroom and with a call…

Describes how the question-finding strategy teaches students to search for questions embedded in the text or "hidden" within the subtext. Notes that the skills of question-finding can be applied to any content area that uses resources and materials that stimulate inquiry learning. (SG)

Considers how the use of a picture book with adolescents enhances lessons and evokes aesthetic responses. Reports 11th and 12th graders' efferent and aesthetic responses to the poignantly evocative narrative paintings portrayed in the wordless picture book "The Middle Passage" by Tom Feelings. (SG)

Presents the structured comprehension method, a strategy that facilitates literal, inferential, and critical reading comprehension for passive readers who can decode but not comprehend. Uses the method to illustrate how other areas of students' instruction (e.g., vocabulary enhancement through morphemic analysis, use of a phonogram approach to…

Considers how as standards and assessments become ever more rigorous, students become ever more difficult to motivate. Presents three hypothetical student scenarios. Discusses ways to connect to students who are uninterested in literature by using popular culture media from their own lives, such as music lyrics. (SG)

A three-phase research project included a literature review on Canadian Aborigine literacy, interviews and focus groups, and a symposium and follow-up workshops. Findings were as follows: (1) Aboriginal literacy has a distinct, culturally appropriate holistic perspective; (2) no single educational practice is best; (3) funding tied to…

The New Literacy Studies' assumptions of socially embedded literacy practices and multiple literacies support the following literacy education models: (1) involving communities in programs; (2) encouraging learner invention of literacy practices; and (3) helping learners adapt and expand literacy practices. (SK)