In this article, a veteran teacher expresses the importance of drawing on the life-texts of students and recognizing the ways that personal experience influences a student's perception of the world.

The past 100 years of "English Journal" have positioned students and teachers in a variety of ways. As the authors embarked on exploring issues in the constructions of students in "EJ", they found that some concerns that teachers raised about English and English education resonated in their own classrooms and experiences as students and teachers.…

Presents ways of making poetry interesting and exciting to junior high school students, including videotaped readings, cut and paste projects, and dramatic readings. (JL)

Provides evidence of students' varying cognitive styles. Notes the implications of these differences for English teachers, especially those teaching students from various cultural backgrounds. (JT)

Suggests that the works of Willa Cather can be used to introduce students to the skills and outlooks needed to read literature. (JL)

Examines the characteristics and classroom performance of underachieving high school English students, and explores ways to respond to their special needs in the English classroom. Focuses on communication and writing through dialogue journals, and discipline through behavior modification techniques. (MM)