Teaching Literature

This text is designed specifically to meet the needs of preservice teachers who have had little experience working in middle-grade classrooms. Three ideas are central: * teaching language arts at the middle level is a complex activity that demands expertise in the use of a variety of strategies, * reading and writing are key processes of language arts study, but so are speaking, listening, and viewing/visually representing, and * teaching the processes of effective communication is crucial, but middle school students must also begin to learn the content of the field--literature, language, and media. Teaching Language Arts in Middle Schools gives balanced attention to various teaching strategies, processes, and content, demonstrating how all of these connect to improve students' abilities to communicate. In this text: *Research and theory are summarized and applied to practice *A non-prescriptive approach is integrated with practical information *Debates in the field are acknowledged *Additional reading and research are emphasized *The author's voice and point of view are explicit

The literary classics that are traditionally required in grades 7-12 are often too complex and removed from adolescent experience. This highly readable guide, from a classroom teacher and one of the nation's leading authorities on young adult literature, shows teachers and school librarians how to use young adult literature as a bridge to the classics to help students become more critical and enthusiastic readers. Innovative thematic connectors link quality young adult novels, many of them multicultural, to the 12 most frequently taught works of literature. Extensive annotated lists of additional works of young adult literature complement each of these 12 classics. Herz and Gallo also show how young adult books can be incorporated into other subject classes.

How does one teach Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, a book as controversial as it is central to the American literary canon? This collection of essays edited by James S. Leonard offers practical classroom methods for instructors dealing with racism, casual violence, and the role of women in the works of Mark Twain, as well as with their structural and thematic discrepancies.

The essays in Making Mark Twain Work in the Classroom reaffirm the importance of Twain in the American literature curriculum from high school through graduate study. Addressing slavery and race, gender, class, religion, language and ebonies, Americanism, and textual issues of interest to instructors and their students, the contributors offer guidance derived from their own demographically diverse classroom experiences. Although some essays focus on such works as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and The Innocents Abroad, most discuss the hotly debated Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, viewed alternately in this volumeas a comic,masterpiece or as evidence of Twain's growing pessimism -- but always as an effective teaching tool.

Shakespeare is one of the world's most widely taught and most demanding authors. Fortunately, many of his plays have been adapted for film and television, and these productions are a valuable aid for helping students understand and respond to his works. This reference shows teachers and students how to master the techniques of discussing productions of his plays on film and television. It distinguishes the advantages and limitations of film and television as media for representing Shakespeare's dramas. The book then examines strategies for incorporating film and television productions in the classroom and provides many specific examples of how to write about these adaptations of the plays. The volume describes numerous educational resources, both in print and on cassette. This reference will prove invaluable to teachers and students of Shakespeare at all levels, particularly at a time when Shakespeare films are being produced at an unprecedented pace.

This text for secondary preservice and in-service English language arts teachers offers a rationale for meaning-centered English language arts teaching and practical strategies for application. Its goal is to provide readers with an understanding of the issues involved in English teaching and specific examples of how to apply this understanding to classrooms. Teaching strategies are presented through a series of stories depicting teachers from a variety of settings practicing their craft with secondary students. Features: *A solid introduction and interesting personal narratives introduce the issues and ideas involved in English language arts teaching. *Case studies based on actual teachers and students realistically illustrate methods that can be used in secondary English classes. *Lessons are described in sufficient detail to be converted to teaching models. *Multicultural emphasis prepares teachers for the contemporary classroom. *Chapters and sections incorporate the new literacies of TV, film, and computers in the English language arts class. *Pedagogical aids include end-of-chapter questions and activities, reproducible charts and worksheets; an updated listing of young adult novels; and annotated recommended readings. *An appendix on writing a personal narrative helps students develop as writers. New in the Second Edition: *Updates. All chapters, the bibliographies, and the references are thoroughly updated to reflect changes since the first edition was published. Chapters 1 and 2 have been totally rewritten. *Standards/Benchmarks. The IRA/NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts are incorporated into the text. Benchmarks and Performance Assessment Measures are included in all the pedagogical chapters to address proficiency concerns. A section on helping students prepare for state proficiency tests has been added. *Computers. More is included on the use of technology, both as a content to learn and as a process for learning. *New Sample Unit Plans. Sections based on the instructional stories offer examples to help readers prepare for teaching. *Literature response questions. These are now provided in Chapter 4 for use in journaling and discussions. *Glossary. A chapter on important terms and useful strategies for the English language arts classroom has been added.

This professional reference provides a broad picture of cooperative learning methods. The volume includes descriptions of the main generic methods of instruction, applications of cooperative learning to various subject-matter disciplines, and discussions of the implementation of cooperative learning in schools. The book is divided into three sections. The first, on methods, includes chapters on the fundamental strategies of cooperative learning. The second, on applications, provides practical information on the use of cooperative learning in mathematics, science, and language arts instruction. The third, on implementation, contains chapters on the creation and administration of cooperative learning programs in schools. Each chapter in this reference is written by an expert contributor and mentions current sources of additional information. Thus, the book is a comprehensive collection of practical information for all those interested in cooperative learning.