Our Texas schools are becoming more diverse in terms of language, race, and culture, but our curriculum often does not reflect this same diversity. Despite the availability of texts featuring Latinx youth identities, English curriculum still centers on canonical texts that often bolster the privilege of dominant groups over the marginalization of…

Scholars from various disciplines have theorized a relationship between reading fiction and empathy. Research in cognitive studies suggests that understanding fiction requires Theory of Mind, or the cognitive ability to understand the feelings and motivations of others. Some studies build on this research to suggest reading fiction helps to…

Our classrooms have not been the same since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and forced us to rethink everything we know about teaching. While much of the public conversation has centered on "learning loss," the author instead found that personal loss and collective trauma have had the strongest impact on defining the differences…

The purpose of this article is to explain how the authors' district implemented micro-writing in curriculum and instruction. The foundation of micro-writing comes from research and publications by Rief, specifically the "QuickWrite Handbook," and Gallagher and Kittle's "180 Days." The article begins by defining and describing…

This paper presents the concept of silent discussions and offers insight into how the method can support linguistic autonomy, accessibility, and student accountability. It also outlines techniques used to improve discussion outcomes in secondary and other classrooms. Silence, while seemingly counterintuitive in classrooms and other spaces where…

Austin Film Festival's Digital Storytelling Curriculum examines the art of storytelling as a critical tool for communication. Developed collaboratively with Austin Film Festival and Austin Independent School District secondary English teachers, Digital Storytelling is nine-week, English language arts screenwriting curriculum in which all students…

This article discusses the legacy of Fred Rogers, and bridges the connections of his work in early childhood development to the needs of older students. The author draws upon her own experiences as a child watching "Mister Roger's Neighborhood," and as a teacher who has tried to incorporate several of his ideas into her own high school…

Teachers constantly struggle to get students actively engaged and invested in their own learning. It can be even more difficult to engage those students in critical thinking and 21st century skills. Problem-based learning (PBL) provides a student-led format with real-life learning experiences, offering a purpose for instruction. By relinquishing…

The authors examined secondary English teachers' values and beliefs about text selection (canonical versus modern and young adults) when working with emergent bilinguals. Findings showed that the tensions teachers identified were focused on whose literacy actions the teachers wanted to prioritize in the classroom: those of the students or those of…

This article seeks to provide a research-based argument in favor of encouraging teachers to seek authentic writing territories when asking students to conduct and disseminate research. At some point, research writing moved towards formulaic, inauthentically structured essays that lacked authentic audiences and thus failed to provide the space to…

Shifts in generations from Millennials to Generation Z have brought changes to today's classroom. In turn, these changes indicate the need for reform and innovation in education. If the goal for education remains to put contributing members into society, then educators must search for the most effective ways to prepare students to enter society…

Teachers routinely report that they feel pressured to teach to standardized assessments. Narrowing the curriculum may help students succeed on standardized assessments, but it rarely leads to long-lasting academic success. Authentic, relevant, and rigorous instruction in newcomer English learner (EL) classrooms, however, can create long-term…

The recently adopted TEKS for English I-IV that will be implemented in 2020-2021 require students to write for a variety of purposes and audiences, to practice the writing process, and to engage in reflective writing. These standards can be difficult to meet when literacy instruction is confined to classroom borders, where students often write…

The use of multicultural literature in the English classroom is important because students need to see themselves reflected on the page as well as need windows into their peers' experiences that are unlike their own. Teachers in middle school classrooms have the potential to positively influence students' ability to engage and connect with…

Any single artifact in a museum possesses the potential to serve as a starting point for the viewer to interpret its meaning, develop an idea, and then generate a written piece. In this article, the authors describe steps for using a photography exhibit collection as artifactual inquiry.