Discusses biographies written for young adults and describes problems with inferior writing in many of them. Examples of both good and bad biographies are given, and problems highlighted include unimportant details, a failure to make facts interesting, an absence of personal information, and an emphasis on neutrality from fear of bias. (LRW)

A teacher discusses how she used criticism of "The Scarlet Letter," when studying the book, in her honors class. The students were also intrigued by the biographical information they learned about Hawthorne, and eager to use it in interpreting his novel. (SRT)

This guide provides a representative selection of biographical dictionaries and related works useful to the reference and collection development processes in all types of libraries. Three criteria were used in selection: (1) each item included was published within the past 12 years; (2) each item has been included in American Reference Books…

Suggestions to help social studies teachers use historical fiction and biography to teach critical reading to intermediate grade students are made. For example, teachers should help students to check various sources for the author's qualifications, purpose, and bias and assist students in analyzing language and writing style. (RM)

This 1,386-entry bibliography includes materials relevant to early American and nineteenth-century academic presidencies and encompasses a specialized corpus of literature written by academic administrators since the early 1960s. The bibliography is divided into four general areas: bibliographies; background sources; biographies; and presidential…

Suggests using book discussions that ask for the reader's thoughtful impressions and judgments rather than simply assigning book reports that tend to produce factual recounting of a book's contents. Provides lists of separate questions on the novel, the biography, and nonfiction that can be used as guides for discussions. (MKM)

By studying the lives, important achievements, and works of famous artists, students may come to understand what those artists hoped to communicate to the world. By participating in art activities that are related to these artists' styles, students practice skills of observing, analyzing, and creating. This instructional guide provides…

By studying the lives, important achievements, and works of famous artists, students may come to understand what those artists hoped to communicate to the world. By participating in art activities that are related to these artists' styles, students practice skills of observing, analyzing, and creating. This instructional guide provides…

Emphasizes that a Native American literature course is best taught as a criticism of the literature, not as ethnography. Outlines a literature course covering: (1) principles of the oral tradition; (2) tribal experiences in the oral tradition; (3) Native American biography/autobiography; and (4) contemporary American Indian writers. (JHZ)

Designed to tap the rich collection of instructional techniques in the ERIC database, this compilation of lesson plans focuses on practical suggestions for addressing the works of women authors in the English/language arts classroom at elementary, middle-school, and secondary levels. The 57 lesson plans in this book cover lessons on gender equity,…

Noting that instructional films can serve as a valuable tool to motivate students and to help them organize, interpret, and evaluate concepts presented, this program guide is designed to assist teachers in planning instructional activities that will effectively integrate films into the English language arts curriculum. The first section of the…