Describes how an English teacher uses ghost stories in his classroom to further students' interest in and understanding of epics. Presents a short unit in which all the class work focuses on scary kinds of things. (SR)

Describes various teaching tips used by two practicing English teachers to enhance literature instruction in the classroom. Focuses on the inherent interest students have in heroic fictional characters. (HB)

Shows how one teacher incorporated poetry more broadly into the English curriculum. Gives 12 practical suggestions for getting students more involved in poetry. (HB)

Discusses having students dig deep into a novel to create material that demonstrates their understanding of the characters; and having students illustrate their understanding of poetry by the way they read it, by the music they select to have in the background, and by the connecting commentary that links poems together. Provides sample rubrics to…

Describes ways short story collections can be integrated into the English curriculum, including a short story fair, a short story hunt, using single short stories to extend a unit, using a short story by itself, using a collection as a whole, and using short stories as part of a focus on writing. Offers a list of short story resources. (SR)

Gives an overview of how one English teacher tried to make connections between the many short stories that were being read in her English classroom. Claims that teachers should always try to make explicit connections between works of literature. Provides examples of how this was done in one class. (HB)

Describes various teaching tips used by a practicing English teacher to enhance writing instruction assessment in the classroom. Focuses on the ways a skills review might be more fun for students. (HB)

Describes how one English teacher stumbled on the idea of having student peer groups write scripts. Outlines a variety of ways that script writing assignments can be made. Advocates having such scripts created by student collaborative groups. (HB)

Describes several methods by which practicing English teachers enhance the instruction of literary terms in the classroom. Focuses on the actual methods used in an English class, including "theme seeds" and the fostering of metaphoric thinking. (HB)

Offers 50 diverse suggestions intended to offer students new ways to think about a piece of literature, new directions to explore, and ways to respond with greater depth to the books they read. (SR)

Offers possibilities for integrating race and gender issues into the fabric of the English language arts classrooms. Presents six brief activities that raise the issues. Presents 20 brief activities to further engage students in race/gender issues. (RS)

Discusses the gender stereotypes and banal repetitions often prominent in adolescent romance novels. Shows how English teachers can use such books to heighten student awareness of gender roles and sexism. (HB)

Illustrates ways in which becoming a reader of young adult literature enriched the author's life by making her a better teacher, allowing more connections to students, increasing student involvement, broadening her view of literature in general, connecting her with a rich network of professionals, and putting her back in touch with a part of…

Sketches out several projects and assignments that focus on the family and suggests some contexts that can be used to give them structure. Suggests that this is an appealing way to end the school year, offering strong material to keep students involved. (SR)