Focuses on how to utilize films and television documents and incorporate analysis of these materials within the history classroom. Describes an approach that is applied to traditional historical documents. Explains that teachers must provide background materials to encourage critical analysis. (CMK)

Describes a teacher's experience of teaching a class entitled "Testimony, Magical Realism, and the Carnivalesque" which focused on the invention of aesthetic means to counter dominant, silencing discourses of power. Explains that students were asked to select a story from their own lives and were required to tell the story in three…

Suggests that discussions on approaching poetry must begin with addressing the role of the classroom teachers and the attitudes about poetry that they bring to the classroom. Discusses a few general suggestions as to how poetry may be approached in the classroom. Discusses a poetry writing sequence which helps students explore images and…

Provides comments from five teachers in response to an article in the same issue of "English Journal" concerning a teacher's handling of a rebellious high school student. (MG)

A study examined the relationship between average evaluations of a class and five variables (time format of the class, number of classes taught in the program by the instructor during the year, requirement of a term paper, class size, and class average grades) in an off-campus setting with nontraditional students. (Author/MSE)

Describes problems encountered by public librarians when assisting students with assignments that are difficult or impossible to complete. Examples of librarians' successes in assertive, tactful communication with instructors and a list of solutions to inappropriate assignments are provided. Special emphasis is given to assignments dealing with…

Describes a class activity in which students research one work by Nancy Willard, a contemporary novelist, and then meet Willard to discuss the work. Notes that the students engaged in lively discussions with the novelist. (RS)

Explains that rhetorical invention can be viewed as an invitation to openness, whereas structure can be a closure. Describes a writing instruction method in which students write replies to the instructor's weekly letters, providing a genuine need that must be genuinely answered. Argues that rhetoric can enhance and enrich life. (SG)

Compares the written production of 12 sixth grade English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students on 3 teacher-assigned tasks with their writing to the teacher in dialogue journals. Finds that the quantity and maturity of the dialogue journal writing was at least equivalent to the assigned writing on all measures. (RS)

Describes an open admissions program, a public university's nontraditional population, and their unique academic needs. Provides a political science briefing book assignment in which students research and write about one country. Claims the book is effective in helping students to organize and focus their thoughts and to improve their research and…

Examines three writing assignment variables--topic, purpose, and audience--to determine how writing prompts affect student performance in grades 7, 9, and 11, and in college freshmen. Finds these variables influenced writing quality at different grades in different ways; generally, specific purpose and topic cues produced better essays. (SR)

Looks at the process of designing and assessing coursework for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) course in Business Studies. Provides a flow chart illustrating stages in coursework design and includes examples. Offers suggestions for grading assignments according to the GCSE Business Studies syllabus. (LS)

Presents a strategy to improve students' comprehension of content material by having them read, discuss, and give written responses to items pertaining to short content texts. (MG)

Three teachers (one university professor, one secondary teacher, and one K-12 language arts coordinator) formed a writing group to generate texts about the phenomenon of student autobiographical writing in the classroom. The paper discusses the benefits of autobiographical writing to students and describes teachers' experiences with student…

Discusses ways that whole-language teachers can address the concerns raised by administrators, teachers, and parents about the use of portfolios in language arts classes. Suggests that teachers can use student self-evaluation and other methods to assign grades in portfolio-based classes, and master various techniques to reduce the time needed to…