During the 2016-2017 academic year, a collaborative of university faculty and high school teachers piloted an innovative approach to professional development, focusing on secondary level literacy in a diverse suburban district. The approach included innovations in both process and content compared to professional development (PD) and instructional…

As districts continue to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), English language arts (ELA) teachers and content-area teachers may find themselves collaborating in surprising and welcome new ways. The CCSS's emphasis on reading and writing across all content areas provides an opportunity for ELA teachers to emerge as literacy experts in…

Notes the severe gender imbalance in reading lists provided by the Educational Testing Service and even by the author. Claims these present a distorted view of literary heritage, reinforce stereotypical values, and do psychological damage to female students (especially those who are gifted). (SR)

Describes a study on peer evaluation of students' writing. Indicates that teacher evaluation of students' writing is valuable, though results do not favor teacher evaluation over peer evaluation. (JD)

Discusses the findings of two studies of the teaching of writing in high school and provides a "Students' Writing Questionnaire" with which teachers can determine the writing instruction their students have received. (DD)

Describes a study which led to the conclusion that teachers of writing should stress audience sensitivity instead of mistakenly focusing on language as an object. (DD)

Surveys National Council of Teachers of English Centers of Excellence to learn how good English curricula develop. Discusses the Center of Excellence's origins and development, curriculum approval process, implementation, evaluation and assessment, funding, and obstacles. Concludes that the Centers of Excellence offer a highly professional,…

Presents a ninth grader's written responses to Adrien Stoutenberg's story "Reel One." Describes the authors' senses of the student's readings of the story. Summarizes reflections on the authors' evaluations. Invites other teachers to do the same. (HB)

Explores how asking students to abstract a theme statement from a literary text as a main reading objective can actually disempower students' reading experience. Bases the claims on original research on how 288 readers read a short story. Considers how teachers might more profitably talk about theme. (HB)

Discusses the research carried out by a classroom teacher which investigated students' composing processes when they are asked to observe their own process of writing. Noted three kinds of reactions--anxiety, euphoria, and normal responses. Found that the research project helped motivate students. (ARH)

Advises classroom teachers about research procedures for making critical observations about their students and for conducting useful classroom research. (RL)

Presents the results of a questionnaire survey of a random sample of English teachers regarding their favorite literary works. (DD)

Presents the third part of a six-part series in which the authors respond to a ninth grader's first impressions of "Reel One," a poem by Adrien Stoutenburg. Urges readers to participate by reading the student's impressions and reflecting on the student's interpretations. (MM)

Evaluates "Editor," arguably the most sophisticated grammar and style checker. Tests its effectiveness by using samples from one student and one published writer. Finds that "Editor" is limited to identifying problems in surface structure and that it sometimes identifies "errors" which are not errors while failing to…

Reports on a study that examined the responses of young people to a new poem. Covers the background, procedures, processes, conclusions, and implications of the study. (EL)