Grounded in solid theory with new field-tested classroom activities, the fourth edition of "Critical Encounters in Secondary English" continues to help teachers integrate the lenses of contemporary literary theory into practices that have always defined good pedagogy. The most significant change for this edition is the addition of a full…

It is vital for educators to be aware of how traumatic experiences affect today's students, yet few teachers learn the tools needed to successfully teach these students. This book highlights how English Language Arts teachers, who are typically not licensed or specifically trained to work with trauma issues, can design and implement instruction…

Learn how to use literature and informational texts related to sports as an alternative or a supplement to a canon-centric English classroom. This practical book promotes an instructional approach that honors students' knowledge of, interests in, and experiences with sports culture to advance literacy learning. Informed by his own experiences in…

Writing instruction is a particular challenge because there is no singular, linear solution to teaching students to write well. This book approaches writing as a wicked problem that takes place in complicated contexts. Through both scholarly research and teacher reflection, it examines ELA classrooms and the experiences of writing teachers to…

Imagine a thriving English classroom. One that's active, experiential, collaborative, and rigorous. "Authentic Literacy Instruction" will help you not just imagine this classroom, but also create it. Through a hands-on approach to student-centered literacy, the authors share how to reinvigorate your love for what you do and refine your…

"The Power of Teacher Talk" investigates the connections between two persistent educational challenges: high numbers of students who drop out and of teachers who leave the profession. Based on a study of thousands of daily interactions between new justice-oriented English teachers and their students, this book proposes that teachers who…

Educating for Empathy presents a compelling framework for thinking about the purpose and practice of literacy education in a politically polarized world. Mirra proposes a model of critical civic empathy that encourages secondary ELA teachers to consider how issues of power and inequity play out in the literacy classroom and how to envision…

To be successful, teachers of English in grades 6-12 need more than basic content knowledge and classroom management skills. They need a deep understanding of the goals and principles of teaching literature, writing, oral discourse, and language in order to make sound instructional decisions. This engaging book explores the pedagogical foundations…

This book is for secondary subject matter teachers and administrators who work with English language learners (ELLs) in subject matter classes. It is also for college professors who prepare pre-service teachers to work with those students. The book brings together insights from linguistic, socio-cultural, educational, cognitive, developmental…

Because of the emphasis placed on nonfiction and informational texts by the Common Core State Standards, literature teachers all over the country are re-evaluating their curriculum and looking for thoughtful ways to incorporate nonfiction into their courses. They are also rethinking their pedagogy as they consider ways to approach texts that are…

Learn how to incorporate rigorous activities in your English language arts or social studies classroom and help students reach higher levels of learning. Expert educators and consultants Barbara R. Blackburn and Melissa Miles offer a practical framework for understanding rigor and provide specialized examples for middle and high school ELA and…

With 1 in 59 children being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), odds are that students on the spectrum will be in many classrooms across every subject area. "Seeing the Spectrum" argues that secondary English teachers are uniquely equipped to prepare students with autism for future success, both in school and in life. Writing…

Building on the authors' highly acclaimed first collaboration, "Understanding English Language Variation in U.S. Schools," this book examines the need to integrate linguistically informed teaching into the secondary English classroom. "We Do Language" features concrete strategies, models, and vignettes, as well as classroom…

The gender achievement gap, where males demonstrate lower performance in academics, is not fully understood. This research was the first of its kind undertaken in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 2012-2013. I employed a mixed-methods design for this research to reduce issues inherent in the use of each type of method, as well as to gather data…

Originally published as a special issue of the "Middle School Journal," this book presents integrative curriculum as a foundational element of the middle school. By addressing the current gap in literature on curriculum integration in the middle grades, this text explores how learning can be organized around authentic concepts or…