Literature circles or book clubs are small, heterogeneous groups of students who have chosen to read and discuss the same book together. The research on literature circles suggests that they hold great promise for increasing students' enjoyment of reading and honing their literacy skills. When evidence-based strategies are embedded into a…

Describes New York City Technical College's "Law through Literature" course, an English elective especially for Legal Assistant Studies students. Quotes from students' essays about personal experiences related to characters/events from Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird." Recounts class discussions about influences on…

With the encouragement of an English instructor for whom English was a second language and who was consequently enthusiastic about writing experiences, English students in a Texas high school put together an anthology of literary criticism on the modern American novel. Honor students read American novels of their choice and wrote evaluations of…

The Reading Challenge project was designed to help students make the transition from picture books to reading and choosing age-appropriate chapter books for recreational reading. This project was conducted throughout the school year with students rotating through different chapter books, usually completing 2 books and related activities each…

This video workshop introduces teachers to ethnically diverse American writers and offers dynamic instructional strategies and resources to make works meaningful for students. It includes eight one-hour videos in which teachers model effective approaches--based on reader response, critical inquiry, cultural studies, and critical pedagogy--for…

Designed for middle or high school students in Marlboro Township, Marlboro, New Jersey, the teen authors program involves students in the writing, editing, illustration and "publication" of children's books. The instructional unit takes 2 to 3 weeks to complete and culminates with an "author's day" where the student authors…

Part of a basic training series, this booklet describes creating a Reading Coaches (tm) session based on the simple concept of reading good books with children while engaging them in conversation about the book. The booklet notes that exemplary practices found in the SLICE-CORPS program (an AmeriCorps program) were synthesized to develop the…

Part of a basic training series, this booklet describes presenting a Reading Coaches (tm) session based on the simple concept of reading good books with children while engaging them in conversation about the book. The booklet notes that exemplary practices found in the SLICE-CORPS program (an AmeriCorps program) were synthesized to develop the…

Meant to be adapted by the K-4 classroom teacher to best meet the needs of students, this book describes Children's Own Stories, a program in which young children dictate their ideas and thoughts to adults, and develop a sense of community with their peers as they talk together, share their stories, collaborate on stories, and read and enjoy works…

Intended for grades K-8, this book will help teachers and students launch their own author study programs, making powerful connections with authors while nurturing a community of readers. It argues that, with author study, all students form mentor relationships with authors; gain access to the world of authors and books; develop a wide range of…

This report describes a multi-year transitional program designed to move limited-English-speakers in the elementary grades into mainstream classroom instruction, focusing on the study of literature as a central strategy. The program is designed to challenge students academically, be comprehensive, provide continuity, and build explicit connections…

A multimedia reading program for seventh and eighth grade students is presented. Methodology for the seventh grade course consists of designating a particular type of literature for each month of the school year. Story assignments, book reports, and teaching units all revolve around this type of literature. Students read aloud from radio and…

Papers presented at "The Future of Literature in the Community College" conference are included in this proceedings. The following papers are presented: (1) "The Value of Literature in the Community College Curriculum: One Credo, Several Courses," by Carol Barrett; (2) "The Use of Literature in the Teaching of English as a Second Language," by…

Acknowledging children's need for informal conversation, the staff of an eastern elementary school began a reading incentive program to encourage children to read for fun and to increase their leisure by providing a listening ear while they told someone about the books they had read. Adult volunteers were recruited to listen to children's…

A Swedish university program in which French language students played parts in a series of Moliere plays is described. The activity integrated linguistic, cultural, and literary objectives, and included text analyses, pronunciation instruction, and development of oral expression. (MSE)