Using Ariadne's thread in the narrative of the labyrinth as a metaphor for the elusiveness of language, this paper explores the concept of "self" to prepare for the discussion of autobiography as a "tool" for teaching writing, and to create a connection between a politically enabled self, a private self, and critical theory.…

This book offers Paulo Freire's retrospection on his life and work. These reflections, conceived in the form of 18 letters to his niece, Cristina, provide a backdrop for a deeper understanding of the experiences--including his exile---that have informed his thinking and teaching. The first 10 letters look back on Freire's childhood and youth. The…

A study explored preservice teachers' attitudes toward reading through detailed case study analysis of their reading autobiographies. Subjects, 45 students in a required content area reading class in Hawaii, completed a reading autobiography assignment in which they considered their reading experiences from their earliest memory of being read to…

Lifewriting is a form of autobiographical composition in which the non-expert, or even the beginning writer, tries to capture on paper the raw experiences of a lifetime. The intersections between family history and social or political events provide one set of starting points for the lifewriter who sets out on the neverending journey to capture a…

By examining two autobiographies by Victorian women, the role of editors in the composing and publishing of autobiographical texts can be explored, and questions can be raised about the way personal writing is assigned, edited, and evaluated in classrooms today. The autobiography of Margaret Oliphant, a prolific Victorian novelist and critic, was…

Noting that students read and write nonfiction without noticing how the language of nonfiction shapes the subject they are studying, the articles in this journal demonstrate ways in which teachers can link their concern for language with their students' interest in content subjects. Titles of the 24 essays are as follows: (1) "Spreading the…

As part of an effort to preserve oral tradition and produce a history about the Blackfeet people, Tom Many Guns relates the story of his life and, in so doing, brings out the rich cultural heritage of the Blackfeet. The recollections were gathered through interviews and translated from Blackfeet to English using every effort to preserve Tom Many…

This curriculum guide for grade 11 was written to provide direction for teachers in helping students understand how Negro literature reflects its historical background, in integrating Black literature into the English curriculum, in teaching students literary structure, and in comparing and contrasting Negro themes with othr themes in American…

One of a series of works aimed at presenting contemporary critical opinion on major American authors, this volume contains critical studies of Mark Twain. Designed for use by both literary critics and secondary and college teachers of English, this work would also be of value to undergraduate and graduate students of literature. Topics covered…

American Indian literature deserves a more prominent place in the English language arts curriculum. Oral literature of American Indians includes didactic stories, told to maintain tribal mores and value systems; it also includes humorous and entertaining stories, as well as histories of various American Indian peoples. Anthropologists and…

Presenting autobiographical stories from Hispanic culture and history, especially the stories of fascinating, historic role models can be beneficial, educational, therapeutic, and empowering for presenters and audiences. This paper is divided into two sections. Section (1) discusses in detail presenting such autobiographical stories and how to…

This memoir by Howard Wesley Johnson, who was president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) during the 1960s and 1970s, is an autobiography as well as a history of how MIT coped with and responded to the hyperturbulance of the Vietnam era. The book reflects three themes: it is a history; it is a personal memoir that analyzes the…

This study used preservice teachers' autobiographical essays to explore their beliefs about race, class, and gender. Findings indicated that, although some students were taught equality and still held views of equality, four factors helped initiate change in their beliefs toward greater equality (education, travel, experience with discrimination,…

Reports the results of a cross-sectional study of 67 short autobiographical essays by U.S. students of Russian at 4 levels. Linguistic measures differentiating the groups included fluency and syntactic fluency, but not accuracy. The article recommends further research into second- and foreign- language learning writing that accounts for different…

Reviews 10 children's books for history instruction in elementary social studies. Topics range from the history of chimney sweeps, to Vietnam War stories, to writers' autobiographies. Lists bibliographical resources for locating other books that teach history through literature. Suggests student autobiographical and research projects. (CH)