The authors share findings from a recent study of teens who freely select to read texts typically marginalized by schools (dystopia, vampire, romance, horror, fantasy), revealing the distinct functional and psychological benefits of pleasure reading. The students who participated in the study that the authors report on were eighth graders who…

Advocates the use of literature response journals. Describes their use with an eighth-grade class and discusses teaching students how to respond well and how to include parents. (SR)

Argues that picture books are a significant resource in learning about literary elements. Discusses using picture books with middle schoolers in "text sets" (5 to 15 texts that relate conceptually in some way). Describes a two-week period during which eighth-grade students read and responded to text sets on themes (prejudice,…

More than sixty years ago, John Dewey and Louise Rosenblatt produced theoretical work that challenged prevailing assumptions concerning art and aesthetic experience. Today, their work continues to be relevant and particularly useful for exploring the troubled interface between literary scholarship and classroom practice. Rereading Dewey and…

Analyzes how two groups of eighth graders and their teacher create literary texts during small group discussion, and suggests the importance of talk as a means of constructing meaning. (NKA)