Presents the annual list of reading choices of approximately 350 tenth through twelfth graders from among newly published books. Shows that the most popular category for reading was contemporary realism. (EL)

Argues that English teachers should expose students to the craft of play production. Suggests building a drama unit from the production approach and presents an example of such a unit. (FL)

Provides an annotated bibliography of sources that will help teachers select materials and structure activities in oral interpretation, readers theatre, improvisation, and creative speaking for the English classroom. (MM)

From a sample of young adult novels, describes how teachers are portrayed as objects of humor, love, and outright hatred and as shrewd manipulators and innocent victims. (CRH)

To elicit student interest, teachers must search out works that have manageable sentences, vocabulary, accessible plots, characters, dialogue, and relate to the current cultural values of their students. (CRH)

Implications for citizenship education in "The Paideia Proposal" and "Paideia Problems and Possibilities" are discussed. Teacher education should develop skills necessary for the Socratic method of seminar discussion and require readings of historical documents such as the "Declaration of Independence." (PP)

Describes the efforts of educators throughout the twentieth century to challenge committees, commissions, and teachers of English to investigate and communicate possible solutions to problems faced by real English teachers in real classrooms. (MM)

In the United Kingdom in 1977 a national questionnaire survey was conducted by the University of Sheffield (England) under the direction of Frank Whitehead with children ages 10-14 years old to discover the kind and extent of children's voluntary reading. In 1994/95, Whitehead's study was replicated in the context of the 1990s. This report…

This book is divided into four parts, each focusing on an important aspect of evaluating, selecting, or using nonfiction books in the classroom. Under Part I--Choosing Quality Nonfiction Literature: Evaluation and Selection--are the following chapters: (1) "Nonfiction Books for Children: New Directions, New Challenges" (Susan Hepler);…

Although educational standards call for children to read information effectively, emphasis on using narrative texts with young readers persists in the early literacy community. This book shows that nonfiction texts can be as effective as narrative in early reading instruction, and offers suggestions for developing classroom libraries and choosing…

The use of literature circles has been discussed in a variety of academic journals, conference papers, and workshops. Teachers at all grade levels use literature circles as a vehicle through which students learn to: think critically about literature; express their thoughts in oral and written forms; and better enjoy their literacy experiences.…

This paper shows examples of thought-provoking picture and chapter books that can be used as springboards for discussing, analyzing, and solving authentic problems by pre-school through middle-level children in diverse settings. The paper begins with a description of a conference presentation which introduced participants to the notion of using…

The voices in this anthology, i.e., Zora Neale Hurston, Eudora Welty, Anthony Trollope, E.M. Forster, Franz Kafka, Frederick Douglass, Emily Post, Virginia Woolf, Bernard Malamud, and many others, describe the excitement of first learning to read and remind everyone of the unique companionship offered throughout life by books. The anthology…

A study investigated whether some books read by kindergarten teachers to their students represent a higher proportion of female or male characters in text and imagery, and whether there was a higher proportion of female characters or male characters portrayed in stereotypical activities and roles. Subjects were four kindergarten teachers at Gauer…

Research has examined how gender stereotypes and sexism in picture books affect the development of gender identity in young children, how children's books in the last decade have portrayed gender, and how researchers evaluate picture books for misrepresentations of gender. A review of the research indicated that gender development is a critical…