Mass education in the United States from its inception was concerned with inculcating routine abilities, simple computation, reading basal texts, and reciting religious and civic codes. It did not take into consideration interpretation or creativity. Native Americans have had difficulty fitting into this mold of standardization. Traditional Native…

The role of literature in education is examined, and implications for assessment of student understanding of literature are outlined. There are three distinct views of the role of literature in school. Literature is variously construed as an adjunct to the learning of reading and writing, as a subject with its own body of knowledge, and as an…

The structure of an 8-week intensive course in literature for advanced learners of English as a Second Language is described. Focus is on engaging student interest with texts rich in theme and/or language that can elicit thoughtful discussion. In the first 2 weeks, the language and length of the texts (short stories) selected make them relatively…