Sometimes a single word changes everything. In his groundbreaking book "Choice Words", Peter Johnston demonstrated how the things teachers say (and don't say) have surprising consequences for the literate lives of students. Now, in "Opening Minds: Using Language to Change Lives", Peter shows how the words teachers choose affect the worlds students…

Surveys of employers continually highlight the need for better communication skills among recent college graduates. Yet, writing instruction in higher education serves far more than a transactional purpose. Writing facilitates learning, helps students gain skills in analysis and synthesis, and supports a range of other personal and intellectual…

Describes a course at the University of Missouri that gives doctoral students a chance to explore teaching issues in a setting that emphasizes reflection, critical thinking, and individual risk taking. Discusses how the class approaches learning about college students' intellectual development; curriculum design for programs in journalism and mass…