The Bechdel test, the author's student Marley explained, is named for the US graphic novelist and cartoonist Alison Bechdel. To pass the test, a work of fiction must contain at least one scene in which two or more women (preferably named characters) discuss something other than a male. Students who read from the canon of works regularly encounter…

Due to prevailing attitudes about the prison industrial complex and African American and Latino/Latina communities, the literary production of urban street fiction has been politely disregarded by our society. Through the use of critical praxis, utilizing urban street fiction in the classroom is a necessary and urgent act of social justice. Street…

In teaching a research-writing unit, the author has asked her students to research and write a persuasive speech, a multigenre paper, an I-Search, a historical and comparative connection to literature, a country brochure, and a social criticism essay. While she found benefits and disadvantages in all of these assignments, the author was…

When approaches to critical inquiry and critical literacy are used by students to interrogate the dynamic between both fiction and nonfiction texts simultaneously, they shape a classroom culture of questioning that empowers students to take an informed and more activist stance about larger issues in the world. This article explores how nonfiction…

The students can explore an entirely fascinating new world through graphic novels introduced into the classrooms. The graphic novels include genre fiction like superhero and horror stories that combine words and pictures, which are appealing to the students. Several titles with connections to traditional English literature are recommended.

The authors proffer practical critical-reading strategies for teaching "Mississippi Trial, 1955" to increase students' vocabulary, comprehension, and background knowledge of historical eras. They use nonfiction, a PBS documentary, the Web, folklore, and picture books among other tools for inciting thoughtful discussion and writing.

The author of five best-selling novels, including "Carrie,""Salem's Lot,""The Shining,""The Stand," and "The Dead Zone," discusses the teaching of creative writing at high school and college levels. (DF)

Defines the boundaries between "realist" literature and science fiction and fantasy. Describes science fiction writing assignments. Mentions science fiction and fantasy books suitable for the uninitiated reader. (RS)

Addresses two misunderstandings about science fiction and fantasy: that fantastic literature is not serious; and that modern scientific civilization neither has nor needs mythology. Argues that values can be transmitted through science fiction and fantasy, which are modern-day forms of mythology. (RS)

Presents a fictional tale of one adolescent boy's experiences with the Christmas holiday. Tells how the boy's attitude was changed by various experiences surrounding the holiday. (HB)

Presents 10 teachers' methods for recommending and sharing books with their students and for encouraging students to recommend and share books with one another. (ARH)

Describes a high school course in American fiction in which students read an excerpt from a work of literature, watch the film adaptation of the work, and study both from a particular literary standpoint. Notes that such an approach appeals to reluctant readers. (RS)

Argues that Fritz Lang's film "Metropolis" deserves exploration and analysis because of its outlandish plot, dazzling visual and technical elements, and its reflection of the closing days of Weimar Germany. Presents a brief study guide designed to stimulate student curiosity and facilitate further interest in the film. (RS)

Gives an overview of how one English teacher taught "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns. Emphasizes the novel's first-person narration and its themes of maturation. (HB)