Disciplinary literacy is gaining momentum as an approach to adolescent literacy. Believing that a key aspect of disciplinary literacy is knowledge construction, the authors introduce a model for relating disciplinary literacy with project-based inquiry. Rather than merely exploring topics during inquiry, students use practices of a discipline to…

Identifying English Education courses focused on young adult literature as apposite sites for exploring teacher conceptions of youth and the texts aimed for youths' consumptions, this article addresses the multiple sources of tension--and pedagogical potential--of teaching a young adult literature course centrally framed around controversial…

Describes an activity in which students in a creative writing class write and revise poems, and then bake pastries, offering both to an audience of around 50 which assembles to enjoy the event. (SR)

Uses students' amusing vocabulary mistakes to discuss vocabulary development. (SR)

Notes the relationship between thinking and playfulness. Demonstrates that playful language is a valuable way for adolescents from varied cultural backgrounds to express their thinking. Explores in depth four approaches to writing that encourage linguistic play: choosing playful topics; emphasizing characteristics of linguistic play; selecting…

Describes using the pastiche as the basis for a writing workshop with secondary students. Shows how students are afforded opportunities to explore and enter a rich tradition of imaginative invention and literary formulation as they probe, consider, select, and blend the works of various master writers and Mother Goose rhymes. (SR)

Describes a study-reading strategy called PLAN (Prediction, Locate, Add, Note), based on recent research, which helps students develop strategic approaches to reading. Discusses teaching PLAN to college students in a developmental reading class and describes adapting it for middle school students. (SR)

Describes experiences with adult students showing that teachers can take a dialogic approach to literacy in any classroom setting. Points out that the focus is on talk, generative themes, and written dialog. (SR)

Describes a framework that helps seventh- and eight-grade readers write about what they notice, question, feel, and relate to (about the book they are reading) in reader response journals. Shows how, as a result, they deepen their involvement with and understanding and enjoyment of literature. (SR)

Describes a workplace literacy program that uses both workplace and participant-generated materials, including job descriptions, job procedures, training materials, newsletters, booklets, and memos. Shows how literacy development went beyond the survival stage to levels of empowerment and human development. (SR)

Describes seven different written response formats (which all use reading response strategies) used with seventh graders. Discusses how the formats improve the quality of thinking put forth in students' responses to their self-selected adolescent novels. Discusses which response formats illicit more higher-level thinking. (SR)

Describes how writing workshops, and in particular how peer response to writing, were incorporated into a graduate level reading/language-arts-methods course with a research paper requirement. Discusses how writing-workshop sessions and peer response to writing were implemented in the course. Notes student response, and discusses positive results.…

Provides a rationale for using sustained content study (studying one area over time) to improve the reading and writing skills of college-bound ESL students. Describes a course (and course materials) on "Film & Society." Offers excerpts from student discussion and writing. Examines students' progress as shown in their portfolio writing. Notes…

Discusses how pretending to be a character or to help a character with a problem made reading and writing meaningful for middle school students. Describes activities that promoted writing about thinking, thinking as a character would, character integration, creating character journals, and relating to characters. (SR)