Proposes that literary analysis and criticism need to strike a balance between reader and text, between subjectivity and objectivity. Notes that literary works call for different critical approaches and urges English teachers to develop students' skills for apprehending what approach should be used with particular works. (JT)

Suggests seven value clarification exercises based on situations in basal reading series in which characters could have acted, thought, or felt differently. (MKM)

Contends that critical reading, a viable skill that contributes to the development of well-integrated human beings, demonstrates the simultaneous achievement of affective and cognitive goals. Stresses that through the integration of affective and cognitive behavior, the critical reader becomes an autonomous being. (FL)

Describes a unit for an English or reading class on the analysis of propaganda and advertising. (DD)

Suggests that literary study should employ student creative writing as a transition into expository critical writings and discussion of literary works. (DD)

Teachers of poetry should introduce students to a variety of critical theories and points of view, and help them to apply critical ideas to texts. (KS)

Contends that comprehension requires not just seeing the text, but seeing through the text to something that lies beyond it. Notes that comprehension is not something achieved but rather is a goal to keep working towards. Concludes that comprehending is a process of creating, often by means of multiple texts and exchanges with other readers. (PM)

Contends that play scripts are written to be performed and that a critical response to a play should reflect the fact that the script is a blueprint for a live happening. Proposes that students need to study a play both in the theatre and as written text. Explores aspects of Shakespeare's plays as performed theatrical works. (PM)

Discusses Eric Lomax's autobiographical book "The Railway Man." Notes how it chronicles his boyhood obsession with train-spotting and the subsequent ways in which his life has been freaked by railway co-incidences. Describes how the author invited Eric Lomax to come and discuss this work with his students. (SG)

Describes how a teacher helps children understand that endings do not just magically pop into their heads as they write the final words of their stories. Hopes to provide students with authentic revising sessions and to encourage them to assume the dual role of critical reader and thoughtful writer whenever possible. (SG)

Describes how the Books Alive! Project is intended to build on the findings of existing research, to create innovative and exciting multimedia texts, known as talking books, which will support emergent reading, and also encourage the development of higher-order reading skills. Explains the background to the research, analyzes its initial findings…

Describes a "quick-write" as a 1-3 minute written response to a short piece of writing in which students either write as quickly as they can all that comes to mind in response to the work, or borrow a line from the work and write off that line. (SG)

Reviews the traditional concept of critical reading, and then reexamines critical reading by reviewing recent theory and research from three areas: schema theory, metacognition, and direct instruction. (MG)

Through an analysis of two representative media--romance fiction and television news--the author argues for production of a media-literate citizenry. Suggestions governed by the Freirean objective of co-intentional education are offered to support media literacy as a form of cultural politics and to advocate its adoption. (Author/CH)

Advocates a strategy for developing students' ability to think critically by involving them in tasks with perceived conflicts and discrepancies, starting with ads for common products and moving on to news reports and variants of literature. (SR)