Argues that in the study of literature, the authority of the text is confounded by the authority of the teacher. Suggests that more effective learning takes place when the authority of both text and teacher is set aside. (FL)

Argues the importance of the relationships among silence and literature, the arts, and other experiences that point toward transcendence. Suggests that English teachers can expand the repertoire of classroom activities and teaching techniques that make use of silence. (KEH)

Argues that the teaching method instructors use to present poetry--direct/indirect, analytic/subjective, or reader focused/text focused--is influenced by the kind of relationship they wish to establish with the students. (MM)

Notes that beginning foreign language learner-readers lack linguistic and cultural knowledge assumed in foreign language literary texts, gaps often resulting in possible "mismatches" between the readers' actual cognizance of linguistic and cultural norms and the level of understanding assumed in the foreign text. (40 references) (Author/CK)

This paper discusses the concept of literature as a moral laboratory in which author and readers run complex thought experiments about human actions and their consequences. The paper warns that discussion of the role of literature in building moral character and moral communities needs to be based on a better understanding of what literature is…

Demonstrates the interrelationship of the language arts--talking, listening, reading, and writing--as children explore and respond to the meaning in books. Notes that observing and listening in classrooms is a powerful tool for teachers seeking to assess children's learning. Shows how talking about books contributes to children's learning. (HTH)

Outlines a student-conducted literature course that uses several classic novels ("My Antonia,""The Pearl," etc.) as the basis for group discussion, writing, and oral performance activities--all directed toward extracting "meaning" from the books selected. (NKA)