Draws on queer theory, critical feminism, Critical Race Theory, and New Literacy Studies to explore the ways in which queer youth read and wrote words and worlds in ways that both challenged and reinforced power dynamics in and beyond a youth-run center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Situates possibilities for…

Investigates use of oral narratives by a Mexican-born girl (Isabela) participating in small group literature discussions in a bilingual second-grade classroom in the U.S. over a year. Examines both the role of narratives in Isabela's discussions of texts and the role of context in shaping her talk. Suggests a notion of achievement that departs…

Presents a selected bibliography of research in the teaching of English published between July and December of 2002. Addresses topics including bilingual/foreign language education, discourse processes, literacy, professional development, reading, technology and literacy, and writing. (SG)

The five-paragraph theme, while widely used by writing instructors, has often been criticized for its tendency to focus on a rigid formula rather than a writer's ideas. This study investigates the decision of an early-career teacher, Leigh, to teach her eighth-grade students the five-paragraph model in the context of a state-mandated writing…

Though high-stakes testing currently dominates educational policy, few studies examine the consequences of such testing for the teaching and learning of literature in secondary English classrooms. This study takes a multi-layered approach to specify how a high-stakes exam positioned students as readers of literary texts. Drawing on both critical…

Once a year, in the November issue, RTE publishes a selected bibliography of recent research in the teaching of English and related fields. The listing is selective; we make no attempt to include all research that appeared in the period under review. The topics covered in this issue include: (1) Bilingual/Second Language Learning; (2) Classroom…

In this article, the author discusses the "Digital Underground Storytelling for Youth" (DUSTY), a collection of after-school, evening, and summer programs that is a university-community collaborative aimed at closing the "digital divide." At DUSTY the goal is to position participants to tell stories about self and community, and to use those…

Outlines the beginnings of a political economy of the children's literature publishing industry. Focuses on the ways that changes in the ownership and structure of the industry are altering the underlying culture of the book publishing industry and concomitantly, the ways that books are conceived, commissioned, and marketed. (SG)

Argues that interactants define and stabilize identity by producing identity artifacts with multimodal means, by constructing configurations of those artifacts, and by using those artifacts to project social space. Develops the argument through the close analysis of an episode of interaction from a high school English classroom in which one…

Presents a selected bibliography of 50 recent research articles (published between January and June 2002) in the teaching of English. Includes works on topics such as: assessment; bilingual/foreign language education; discourse processes; literacy; professional development; reading; teaching and learning of literature; teaching and learning of…

Reflects on ethical issues that are central to the author's work as an educational researcher. Argues that research ought to be practiced as a form of service that respects teachers and students and enables researchers to grow through a process of reflection. (SG)

Addresses issues of English language anxiety in two settings: English as a second language and mainstream classrooms. Reveals that interaction with Chicano students raised anxiety levels and that such strategies as avoidance were used to reduce anxiety. Concludes with recommendations for teaching and research that recognize the complexity of…

Draws on a longitudinal study of urban adolescents' literacy practices. Argues for a focus on students' writing practices both in and out of school to develop a comprehensive understanding of their capacities in the classroom. Suggests the importance of looking outside the physical space of schools and beyond the time that students are in…

Considers how gender, identity and literacy are entangled and mutually constitutive. Concludes that social experience, desire, proximate others, and the ways in which children can draw upon these in the classroom are aspects of the situated condition that deserve more prominence in literacy and identity research. (SG)

Reports on a three-year inquiry into intertextuality in early grade classrooms. Identifies intertextual conflicts during teacher-class interactions where teachers are reading texts and guiding children to read. Concludes the greater power of mandated syllabi over teachers and the greater power of teachers over children make intertextuality a…