Suggests the use of children's literature as a model for junior high students' writing. (DD)

Presents three brief articles written by teachers that 1) describe a collection of approaches that utilize newspapers and magazines as the "excellent teaching tools they are"; (2) plunge students into critical analysis through the use of advertisements in magazines; (3) present ideas on how to teach students to create writing prompts…

Discusses getting started, organizing a thematic unit, developing a unit around classroom concerns, and skills students need. Discusses creating a thematic unit in American literature focused on Henry David Thoreau. Presents a series of nine questions for teachers to ask themselves when selecting a novel for use in a thematic unit with middle or…

Describes how an English teacher uses ghost stories in his classroom to further students' interest in and understanding of epics. Presents a short unit in which all the class work focuses on scary kinds of things. (SR)

Offers possibilities for integrating race and gender issues into the fabric of the English language arts classrooms. Presents six brief activities that raise the issues. Presents 20 brief activities to further engage students in race/gender issues. (RS)

Discusses having students dig deep into a novel to create material that demonstrates their understanding of the characters; and having students illustrate their understanding of poetry by the way they read it, by the music they select to have in the background, and by the connecting commentary that links poems together. Provides sample rubrics to…

Provides language arts teachers with specific techniques to help content-area teachers get more writing into their classrooms. Suggests that some of these techniques might be helpful to language arts teachers themselves, especially in getting students to think about learning. (TB)

Describes assignments which engage students and are suitable for end of year: (1) a video or booklet for incoming students describing what the grade they are about to enter is all about; (2) a book of poetry for a special person; (3) a research packet for next year's students; and (4) a letter from parents explaining their feelings for their…

Describes several methods by which practicing English teachers enhance the instruction of literary terms in the classroom. Focuses on the actual methods used in an English class, including "theme seeds" and the fostering of metaphoric thinking. (HB)

Presents a notebook or list of 20 ideas that could be used in the language arts classroom to further students' interest in literature and writing. Explains, for instance, how students might write a monologue about or to a character who is upsetting or dismaying them, or how students might collect 10 quotations describing a character. (TB)

Explains how teachers can use written compilations of student-generated questions and comments as a basis for discussions of novels and poems. Shows that student brainstorming ideas can be used effectively as the basis for writing assignments. (TB)

Shows how one teacher incorporated poetry more broadly into the English curriculum. Gives 12 practical suggestions for getting students more involved in poetry. (HB)

Describes various teaching tips used by two practicing English teachers to enhance literature instruction in the classroom. Focuses on the inherent interest students have in heroic fictional characters. (HB)

Describes various teaching tips used by a practicing English teacher to enhance writing instruction assessment in the classroom. Focuses on the ways a skills review might be more fun for students. (HB)

Describes how one English teacher stumbled on the idea of having student peer groups write scripts. Outlines a variety of ways that script writing assignments can be made. Advocates having such scripts created by student collaborative groups. (HB)