Recounting a successful means of introducing other Englishes, the author encourages understanding and acceptance of devalued Englishes among mainstream-English-speaking students.

In this article, a team of university-based researchers and ESL teachers describes how English learners in a high school responded to Poetry Inside Out -- a poetry -- and translation-based literacy curriculum.

The American edition of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" has significant changes from the original British version, and every word of a Harry Potter book in translation derives from a translator's decision-making process. Focusing students on British-to-American cultural translation problems in the Harry Potter series encourages…

The idea of joining a conversation through reading and writing is not new; in his 1941 book "The Philosophy of Literary Form: Studies in Symbolic Action," Kenneth Burke suggests that the acts of reading and writing are like entering a parlor where others are already conversing. The author explores the place of professional debate within NCTE and…

Being up front with students about Standard English as "the language of power" allows them to learn valuable lessons about Standard and non-Standard English dialects. In this article, the author describes an eighth-grade language unit that helps students understand the value of dialects and standardized English. The author concludes that the…

Because digital language represents such a large part of the primary discourse of today's adolescents, it is not surprising that the style of electronic communication is "seeping into their schoolwork." According to a recent study published by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, in partnership with the College Board's National Commission…

Presents high school teachers' recommendations for books about the history and use of the English language. (MM)

Explores the general features and some unique usages of West African English, Caribbean English, and Indian English. (EL)

Honoring students' home dialect is a complex task when preparing them to take state writing tests that require the use of Standard English. Working with students who had failed the test and were in danger of not receiving a diploma, Michelle Crotteau created a supportive learning environment in which students could develop linguistic and…

English classes should develop the use of good English in student compositions, which should in turn influence student morality. (JH)

Discusses the learning process and language usage in the English classroom, building on a theory of language originated by Alfred Korzybski. (RB)

Reports the paucity of public knowledge and concern about the English language and suggests that English teachers might do something to remedy this situation. (JLZ)

Discusses the misuse of language by business, military, and political interests, suggesting that teachers must lead the fight against unsound logic and corrupted language as presented to the public through the mass media. (RB)

Critiques the practice of conforming to Standard English when teaching writing. Argues that when more attention is paid to form than to content, students' words and thoughts become devalued. Emphasizes the need to teach students to hold their own voices sacred, and discusses instructional strategies which encourage this attitude. (MM)