The author argues that English teachers are in a unique position to respond to death through writing, reading, and speaking. She describes four experiences and offers specific, language-based responses guided by experience and literature.

In the book "Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learning", Peter H. Johnson illuminates the power of classroom discourse and encourages us to become more conscious of and reflective about what we say and how we say it. Johnson presents five categories of classroom discourse with a chapter on each.