Describes how the author uses the poems of Edgar Lee Masters'"Spoon River Anthology" in her developmental writing classes to foster literary discussion, build vocabulary, and teach a broad range of essay writing skills. (SR)

Describes drama teacher Carl Martin's "Home Shakespeare Festival," a series of games that enable non-actors to tackle Shakespeare with little preparation and no training, using Martin's instructions, pared-down scripts, basic toy props, and tip sheets. Describes how Martin's games came to be and discusses their use in a variety of…

Argues that the English classroom is a fitting place to integrate anti-violence teaching into the academic curriculum. Describes how English teachers can teach conflict resolution strategies, instill respect for cultural diversity, provide an atmosphere for cooperative learning while acknowledging controversy, and heighten empathy and respect by…

Describes a complex role play used in a high school English class in which students take on roles from a simulated society with three distinct ethnic groups with differing interests and demands. Describes how students learn the hard truths of group dynamics in this extended role-play, discussion, and negotiation. (SR)

Discusses the use of young adult and children's books about Hispanic Americans as a part of multicultural education in middle school classrooms. Considers interdisciplinary learning activities to explore the history of Hispanic experience in the Americas, and recommends works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and anthologies for classroom use. (JPB)

Describes the work and the joys of designing type. Includes seven assignments. (SR)

Examines 16 preschoolers' classroom literacy behaviors. Studies one student's literacy activities at home. Finds book-related dramatic play to be an important part of children's literacy interactions. Indicates each instance could be described in terms of scope of play, type of connection, purposes for play, perspective explored, sign systems…

Tells the plot of the novel "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt--the Tucks are invulnerable and immortal, but everlasting life holds trials for them. Provides seven questions for stimulating student response to the novel. (PA)

Describes how Anna Deveare Smith's "Fires in the Mirror" can be adapted for the secondary level language arts classroom. Describes a storytelling exercise, and then describes the six stages of the project as students adapted personal narrative for performance: theme; obtaining the interview; the peer-editing workshop; preparing for the…

Reports on 128 subjects interviewed about their recollections of school field trips during their early years of school. Ninety-six percent could recall school field trips, with the majority recalling when they went, with whom they went, where they went, and three or more specific aspects of what they did. The study reinforces interrelationships…

Describes how the Internet can be used to support the active construction of knowledge within classroom, and can be used to create authentic literacy experiences for children. Discusses how literacy and learning are being redefined by the social constructivist perspective and constructivism. Notes specific Web sites. (SR)

Describes the State-Question-Read-Conclude (SQRC), a student-centered reading/thinking strategy based on the Directed Reading Activity format, and SQ3R, all proven to be effective strategies for developing the reading and thinking skills of elementary and secondary school students. (RS)

Provides specific steps and techniques for teaching and using creative dramatics in elementary school classrooms. Notes that creative dramatics address children's powerful emotions and imaginations, which children rely on to explore and understand the world. Discusses four necessary components of creative dramatics--structure, open-endedness, a…

Considers how to teach children to become proficient readers and writers in combination with teaching them to appreciate the "art form" of language. Argues that it is unrealistic to expect teachers with pressing responsibilities to regard children's literature as sacred texts--art forms that are too fragile to be transgressed upon by instructional…

Describes an exercise for brainstorming the cultural forces that underpin economy and business, which encourages students to think in interdisciplinary ways. Includes a short essay that begins the exercise, and a bibliography of further reading. Outlines tasks and questions which groups of students discuss or perform as they identify factors of…