"Not reading," even for many good students, has become a mode of operation with respect to book-length texts assigned in school. Many students enter secondary and postsecondary literature classes "intending" to "not read" the books teachers assign. More students than teachers want to admit do not complete assigned reading, choosing instead to…

Student teaching is a cornerstone of teacher preparation, yet it remains one of the most difficult experiences to understand. Calls for an ecological approach to research on student teaching prompted this study in which the experience is examined from the perspective of the three key triad members. Using activity theory, this study explores how…

Appropriate for elementary methods courses in Arts and Language Arts, this book extends traditional language arts content by offering multiple communicative channels for expressing, representing, and responding to ideas. It equips teachers with ways to maximize children's creative potential and critical literacy through activities involving "the…

Intended as a resource for elementary and middle school teachers for use in literature focus units, reading and writing workshop, or thematic units, this book contains new instructional strategies such as interactive writing, story retelling, and word sorts. The book offers a grid recommending the most appropriate usage for each strategy,…