Suggests ways to respond to the changes in the teaching of college literature wrought by recent literary criticism and theory. (DD)

Contends that feminist criticism can bring vitality to college English programs deep in the doldrums. (DD)

Encourages the Yale English Department to put an end to the unnatural separation of the teaching of literacy and the teaching of literature. (DD)

Defends the place of grammar instruction in the language arts curriculum by distinguishing it from prescriptive and orthographic conventions. (HTH)

Argues that curricular revision (in the direction implied by widespread adoption of terms such as "canon" and "theory") has been accomplished with little overhauling, in large part by adding non-White, nonmale, nonclassical writers to traditional courses. Argues that reading new works is not the same as arriving at new…

Gives advice for the beginning teacher by narrating the experiences of one teacher's childhood and explaining how these experiences shaped the teacher's professional outlook. Concentrates on one of the teacher's memories of her childhood vacation cottage and her father. (HB)

Questions whether literature should have a role in first-year composition courses. Argues that this question cannot be discussed without deciding on the objectives for such a course. Claims that first-year composition should eliminate the use of literature and focus on practicing the discourse of the academy. (HB)

Describes the best young adult novels of 1993. Outlines the contents of the books and evaluates the books as suitable for middle and high school readers. (HB)

Provides school administrators and school districts without clearly defined policies for handling censorship cases with 10 steps by which to deal with such cases. Details how censorship cases should be dealt with by school boards and administrators. (HB)

Outlines current critiques of U.S. higher education. Describes the activities and findings of the Illinois state task force on assessment of language arts in the 1980s. Describes how Illinois State University's English department defined the goals of English majors and dramatically altered the curriculum. (HB)

The District of Columbia Public Schools has adopted new learning standards for core subjects, including reading/English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The new standards show what students should know and be able to do: (1) in each subject; (2) at each grade level; and (3) in every school. Standards tell all students that…

Peter Tymms has written recently ("BERJ", August 2004) on the subject of measuring whether standards are rising in English and mathematics in primary schools based on pupil outcomes from national end of key stage tests. This article takes the position that the performance data debate is an interesting one but peripheral to a far bigger…

This study concerns the "highly qualified teacher" provisions of the "Elementary and Secondary Education Act" ("ESEA," 2002), as reauthorized, and other policies at the federal, state and local levels, which have aimed to elevate the content knowledge of teachers. This examination of "Praxis II" score trends…

Literacy for pupils in the secondary phase of education is a key concern for practitioners and policy makers alike. Tony Lingard is the SENCo at a large comprehensive school in the south-west of England but he is also involved in staff development and school improvement initiatives across the UK. Literacy Acceleration is an intervention strategy…

This paper reports a small-scale study of wider reading at Key Stage 3 in current English classrooms in secondary schools in the south of England. Six English teachers, three of whom were relatively new to teaching, were interviewed on what they thought about wider reading. The findings indicate that because of a lack of time and absence of demand…