In this description of two antithetical opinions concerning freshman English program objectives, cases are presented for the language skills improvement and literature appreciation points of view. Such factors as (1) class size, (2) instructor work load and research potential, and (3) student and teacher interests are considered. A discussion of…

This study investigated the relationship between the syntactical language development of first grade children and their socio-ethnic status. From a random selection of 160 first grade children, 19 Caucasians with highly developed language abilities were selected from a high socioeconomic stratum to be compared with 19 Negroes with low language…

The materials presented in this teaching guide for Negro literature, prepared under an ESEA Title 3 grant, were collected for inclusion into the traditional English curriculum "to enable students to regard the works of Negro writers as a sharing of diversified human experiences." Sample units on the novel, slave narration, short story, poetry,…

Traditions and emerging trends in the teaching of linguistics and composition are examined in this collection of papers. Joseph Mersand predicts a future emphasis on the subject of English as a discipline, leading to a more adequate preparation and increased supervision of English teachers and a greater stress in the classroom on written…

This book is an introduction to the "new" English which utilizes knowledge gained from studies and basic research to achieve practical, intelligent goals for instruction in English. The first chapter defines the new English as a study that leads students to a critical appreciation of all forms of communication, that provides them with insights…

Some of Professor Kenneth Pike's tagmemic theory is explained, and an attempt to apply it in freshman English classes at the University of Michigan is described. Two writing subjects (a concrete object and an abstraction) are examined from the aspects of contrast; range of variation; and distribution with respect to class, context, and matrix. The…

A 1966 study of the Kansas secondary schools sought to determine the prevailing conditions in the language arts classrooms in the state and the personal qualifications of the state's 1,656 language arts teachers. Findings revealed that (1) more than half of the language arts teachers were teaching in schools with fewer than 500 students, (2)…

These volumes (with tests) on constructing effective English sentences are designed for secondary students who do not often hear standard dialects--e.g., the deaf, the disadvantaged, or the speakers of English as a second language. Transformational-generative grammar is used to describe the structures and operations that the student most needs.…

A specially developed 96-item English Teacher Role Inventory was used to question 52 supervisory teachers and 49 student teachers to determine (1) the kinds and amounts of agreement existing between experienced and novice teachers about the role of the high school English teacher, and (2) the ways in which males differ from females in viewing the…

This volume contains nineteen essays, dealing with various aspects of transformational grammar, by scholars such as Noam Chomsky, Eric H. Lenneberg, and Leon Jakobovits. These essays have been reprinted from sources such as "College English" and "Language Learning" and are intended for the most part for a nontechnical audience. The anthology is…

This collection of 10 essays is concerned with the leadership and current trends in English language teaching. Specific topics of papers are (1) W. Wilbur Hatfield as "The Pattern Maker," by James Mason, (2) Hatfield as an innovator in the teaching of literature and language, by Irwin Suloway, (3) "Changes in English Teaching in the…

A variety of creative activities to stimulate elementary school children's curiosity and interest in the substance and structure of American English are listed in this paper. Over half of the 37 suggested activities refer to "Words, Words, Words" by Mary O'Neill and "The Language Book" by Franklyn Folsom. The other suggestions utilize additional…

Extremists, whether formalists of the New Criticism or of the humanist-moralist tradition, are taken to task in this attempt to combine elements of both in a more pluralistic approach to literary criticism. An analysis of a Frost poem, "Stopping by Woods", is attempted as an illustration of a kind of criticism that seeks to clarify the parts of…

Research evidence from linguistic studies of American English orthography and from neurophysiological and psychological research in ways that children learn indicates that the content and instructional practices of current spelling instruction programs should be drastically revised. Initial spelling instruction should encourage children to analyze…

The teacher of bilingual students can avoid many pitfalls by evaluating the student's ability to understand, speak, and read, as well as his ability to write, and by giving written assignments that are realistic in terms of ultimate writing objectives. The basic goal of learning English--for self-expression--can be achieved only by proceeding…