Argues that the study of fantasy in literature courses at the secondary level makes students "less susceptible to the dishonesty propagated in much of the printed word." (RB)

Examines the ways Bruno Bettelheim's "The Uses of Enchantment" may be used to teach children's literature and the effectiveness of Bettelheim's method of psychoanalytical criticism as a means of understanding fairy tales. (DD)

Written to encourage imaginative approaches to teaching writing, this paper contains ideas for developing writing skills by encouraging creative writing, formal analysis, and criticism despite the traditional lack of literary analysis in the creative writing classroom. In addition to including teaching techniques for practicing literary skills…

Describes different theories by which fairy tales might be used in the English classroom. Discusses Antonia Barber's fairy tale, "The Enchanter's Daughter," and analyzes its structure and characters as an exemplary work. Advocates using this tale in the classroom because of its sensitive adaptation of an important genre. (HB)

Science fiction offers many perspectives on human communication, including (1) a recurring theme about intrapersonal communication, (2) a nontraditional perspective on "family" communication, and (3) a philosophy of communication that can be drawn from some fantasy literature. Although numerous science fiction stories describe alien creatures who…

The articles in this focused issue draw attention to works of contemporary literature with classroom potential. Four articles suggest new approaches for the reading and teaching of such established writers as Robert Frost; Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.; Eudora Welty; and Saul Bellow. Two other articles examine the bestsellers "Ordinary People" and "The Color…

This report discusses the opposition to fantasy, as well as the support for it, both as an activity of the mind and as literature, and concludes that fantasy literature is useful in promoting language development and literature appreciation. The report then discusses characteristics of fantasy literature, lists works suitable for class use, and…

Designed to give children a sense of the cultural heritage that fairy tales represent, this instructional unit was originally developed to motivate eighth-grade low-level readers and was later adapted for English as a second language classes and for a variety of elementary and secondary school learning levels. Objectives of the unit are to help…

Noting that instructional films can serve as a valuable tool to motivate students and to help them organize, interpret, and evaluate concepts presented, this program guide is designed to assist teachers in planning instructional activities that will effectively integrate films into the English language arts curriculum. The first section of the…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 32 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: literary criticism in nineteenth century United States; effects of sexist and nonsexist literature on children's attitudes; effects of silent reading and video…