Argues that making a theater study guide is an excellent in-class project, encouraging research, analysis, writing, and creative thinking. Offers a framework for creating one as a classroom project using John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" as an example. Lists further resources. (SR)

Examines ways business and cultural frames of reference affect decision making in multicultural groups. Finds students' reactions to two class activities shows how "groupthink" arose in both exercises; cultural interference paralyzed group decision making in one group; and cultural interference demonstrated the importance of a cultural…

Notes that each pupil needs to receive guidance and assistance to achieve as optimally as possible in oral communication. Discusses critical listening to the spoken voice, using puppets, using role play activities, committees in the classroom, giving oral reports, oral reading to classmates, giving and following directions, extemporaneous…

Discusses the core concepts embedded in the total quality management approach. Considers the potential value of bringing these core concepts (customer focus, leadership, communication, the use of data, organizational assessment, and continuous improvement) to higher education communication classes. Offers suggestions for applications in…

Argues that political commentary is excellent pedagogical raw material to help secondary students develop critical thinking. Outlines a lesson plan based on comparing the political commentaries of Rush Limbaugh and Will Rogers. Includes suggested evaluation activities, a list of annotated resources, and excerpts from the writings or statements of…

Describes some activities from the authors' fourth/fifth-grade classroom exploring "identity." Offers brief descriptions of 26 children's books that invite critical conversations about identity around topics of: making a choice and changing your life; gaining control and overcoming obstacles; judging and being judged; and relationships…

Describes how the author and her high school English students begin their study of Thoreau's "Walden" by mining the text for quotations to inspire their own writing and discussion on the topic, "How does Thoreau speak to you or how could he speak to someone you know?" (SR)

Discusses and illustrates the value of using a constructivist bridge-building activity (literally, a bridge-building activity) to help teachers make the transition to constructivist classrooms. Discusses assessment within a constructivist framework. Notes that 90% of teacher participants in the bridge-building activity successfully created a true…

Describes how two high school theatre students and the author negotiated preparation, rehearsal, performance, and reflection as they developed and performed Invisible Theatre scripts addressing their school's lunchroom (mis)behavior of excessive litter. Notes that Invisible Theatre is a public theatre which involves the public as participants in…

Presents middle-school student comments on why they like S. E. Hinton's novel "The Outsiders" so much. Notes that it is good reading, realistic, current and kid-oriented. Presents the Herber Exercise, an exercise that uses students' experiences to enhance reading comprehension. Applies the Herber Exercise to "The Outsiders." (SG)

Shows how an editing assignment emphasizing punctuation can help students in a first-year writing class discover new ideas and perspectives as part of the revision process. Considers a class that experimented with editing punctuation for a dual purpose--as a revision heuristic as well as for correctness. Reconsiders editing and revision…

Describes a new instructional framework, Internet Workshop, designed around three themes reflecting how literacy is changing. Notes that the Internet Workshop consists of an independent reading of information on the Internet around a topic and a location initially designated by the teacher; it concludes with a short workshop session where students…

Maintains that all teachers on interdisciplinary teams in middle schools should teach writing. Examines how content area teachers can use writing to enhance learning. Looks at three levels of student writing (correlated with complexity and time) that may be useful in content area classes. Discusses concerns about writing in content areas. (SR)

Describes a writing class activity to encourage peer feedback when peers are reluctant to give it. Notes how it invites personal dialectic and critical analysis while protecting the writer's originality and sense of control. (SR)

Offers 4 brief descriptions from college writing teachers of activities they use successfully. Describes using a "round robin" process for group writing and revision; addressing stylistic and grammatical issues by using anonymous student writing; "showing" versus "telling" words; and using film to model "larger" meaning in personal narrative. (SR)