When people dive into the varied texts of culture, print and non-print, and explore and critique them, they are doing much more than showing various persuasive appeals or advertising gimmicks to sway their audience; they are examining the purposes and values of capitalism, the economic system that produces a consumerocracy. People might even turn…

To "help students think carefully about specific words and their uses," Darren Crovitz and Jessica A. Miller conceive a diagram that visually expresses the spaces and ties between words. Students eagerly explore contextual connotations and defend subtle shifts in word meaning, discovering how time, use, and circumstance all influence meaning.…

This issue's column focuses on two practices that everyone has learned and utilized but possibly have forgotten. First, Michael offers a look into classroom management and what he needed to learn to be a more effective teacher. Second, Terry asks questions to remind himself and other writing teachers of the importance of helping students…

Lists eight reasons why teachers gain from having students keep daily, in-class journals. (RL)

Reviews research in the teaching of writing, suggests appropriate ways to teach writing, and concludes that the most important thing for writing teachers to do is to find pleasure in writing themselves. (DD)

The sharing of classroom experiences and discussing relevant research have led teachers and their teacher inquiry support group to take risks in their instruction, leading to meaningful and productive change in their classrooms. The reflective practitioners in the teacher inquiry support group are committed to the creation of democratic classroom…

Proposes that reluctant writers' motivation can be enhanced by using a simple writing format, by allowing students to write in areas of strong interest, and by giving much reassurance. Stresses that success in an endeavor is essential to motivation and achievement. (SR)

Describes how allowing students to break the rules of standard writing can increase students' creativity in their written expression. Discusses several traits of this alternate style, or "Grammar B," including sentence fragments, double voice, lists, and spelling variations. (MM)

British students are skilled writers because they are asked to write frequently and extensively. (DD)

Describes an interdisciplinary approach to English instruction at an English language school in Moscow. (DD)

Historically, comics have been viewed as a "debased or simplified word-based literacy," explains Dale Jacobs, who considers comics to be complex, multimodal texts. Examining Ted Naifeh's "Polly and the Pirates," Jacobs shows how comics can engage students in multiple literacies, furthering meaning-making practices in the classroom and beyond.

Dawnene D. Hassett and Melissa B. Schieble contend that literacy instruction must include attention to the multiple ways in which print and visual images work together. They propose ways to update accepted reading strategies "with visual texts and new literacies in mind." Using examples from picture books and graphic novels, they expand our…

A wide-ranging discussion concerning the nature of writing, the findings of the British Writing Research Project, and implications for the teaching of writing. (DD)

Provides an overview of "A Language for Life," the Bullock Report, and discusses some of its more important features that have implications for American language arts teaching. (DD)

Contends that intuitions are a major factor in the teaching of writing and their development is fundamental to any articulated writing program. (DD)