Courses: Argumentation, Public Speaking, Political Communication. Objectives: After completing this unit activity, students should be able to (1) demonstrate comprehension of Burke's (1941) concept of terministic screens; (2) apply the concept of terministic screens to write a brief political autobiography of themselves that analyzes the history…

Ji-li Jiang's extraordinary memoir "Red Scarf Girl" transports readers to a tumultuous time in Chinese history--the first two years of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. Caught between conflicting forces--joining the Revolution's call for rebellion, protecting her family, and fitting in with her peers--Jiang describes how her…

Provides a chapter-by-chapter list of possible writing exercises to be used in conjunction with Frederick Douglass's "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave." States that the aim of the exercises is to encourage complexity of thought and feeling. (PA)

Argues that Frederick Douglass's "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" motivates students to write by opening up issues of adolescence, self-esteem, identity, rebellion against unjust authority and laws, individual dignity, and personal control over life and working conditions. Provides a summary lesson plan…

Discusses the use of the ecological autobiography as a tool for enhancing an understanding of one's self and the human-earth relationship. Presents a five-step process for developing one's own ecological autobiography and suggestions on how to make the development of autobiographical essays a part of environmental education programs. Contains 28…

Argues that by closely examining, editing, and rewriting actual autobiographical texts, students can learn how their own writer-oriented materials can be transformed into reader-oriented materials. (RAE)

Suggests how autobiography defines itself as a system of voices, with the author in a dialogic relationship with the elusive nature of language. Argues that autobiography is a sophisticated form of composing, appropriate for the advanced composition class. Suggests that autobiography can create a memorable educational experience. (RS)

Six ideas for writing autobiographies with elementary school students include: model the writing process to get students started; read examples of autobiographies; brainstorm writing ideas; free-write the first draft; edit and revise; and publish the stories. Suggestions for mini-lessons are included. A student reproducible offers an editing…

Describes how nonfiction literary prose offers advantages that literary fiction does not by showing a sense of honesty that comes with a single voice telling things as they are seen by that person. Discusses important distinctions between personal essays and autobiographies. (SG)

The classroom practices discussed in "Effective Second Language Writing" reflect various trends and methodologies; however, the underlying theme in this volume of the Classroom Practice Series is the need for clear and meaningful communication between ESL writers and their readers. While approaches differ, two core beliefs are constant: ESL…

Because children are experts in at least one subject--themselves--their best written work is usually autobiographical. This article suggests various specific autobiographical writing assignments teachers might want to use with their students. (JMK)

Shows how the eagerness to learn and the wealth of experience of senior adults makes a composition course in autobiography particularly effective for such students. (JL)

Finds that, in Hurston's autobiography and her novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God," she uses an unusual personification to describe the damage wrought by a flood. Uses James Weldon Johnson's poem "Go Down Death" to complement Hurston's prose. Reads for deeper meanings under the surface of the cliches. Acquaints students with…

Discusses a women's literature course designed to explore the connections between the narratives that students read and discuss and the narratives that they live and write. Examines a variety of sources, including fiction, biography, autobiography, literary criticism, history, psychology, sociology, and popular culture. (RS)

Describes a writing assignment in which a teacher asked students to prepare a one-page autobiography written in E-Prime, a form of English deleting all forms of the verb "to be." Presents student comments that suggest that the assignment was highly beneficial. (HB)