Considers the ways by which English departments might begin the process of revitalization. Provides suggestions in eight areas of concern: record keeping, teaching, scheduling, advertising, handling workloads, revising the curriculum, funding, and hiring. (HB)

Reflects on the statement, "Literature should be removed from the center of the English curriculum and become part of the study of language that should be at the center." Tries to "clear the way" for students to write passionately about their lives and feelings and encourages students to explore their thinking through reading…

Designed for students who have experienced difficulty with language arts in the regular program, this curriculum guide outlines the Integrated Occupational English Language Arts Program of Alberta, Canada, a program which focuses on the need of the learner to experience success, and which is designed to enable students to become responsible…

This handbook is designed to provide general goals for evaluating the language arts programs at any level from kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The general and specific objectives used are based on those recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English to reflect basic skills. The guide is intended to be a flexible tool for…

This book is intended to be a stimulus for educators who want to teach or plan curriculum with the long view in mind. The book states that although sustainability--meeting today's needs without jeopardizing the interests of future generations--has become a dominating force in diverse disciplines, it has yet to play a substantive role in English…

This book presents five composites of teachers and students in action to portray and elaborate on the English Language Arts standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association. The book demonstrates that teaching and learning are not generic, homogeneous activities that transcend time,…

The executive director of the National Council of Teachers of English introduces a group of articles on the English curriculum and outlines what principals as instructional leaders can do to strengthen their English departments. (Author/JM)

Argues that most doctoral training in English departments is concentrated on requirements, credentials, and the accumulation of a diversified portfolio. Emphasizes the need to discuss the scope of the doctoral enterprise and to explore the values that make such an enterprise worthwhile. (RS)

Describes how English department chairs might successfully order and structure their departments. Analyzes two central characteristics of English departments as political entities: purpose and values. Lists several observations about departmental organization. (HB)

This article provides a pragmatic approach to the development of theme units in a secondary English program for verbally talented students. The article provides a rationale for theme-based teaching, describes the structure of a thematic unit, and provides guidance on teacher development of thematic units. A unit on "losses/gains" is presented as…

Recounts the story of how the writing faculty at Washington State University successfully reclaimed their university's writing assessment program. Argues that writing teachers should be leery of assessment programs made by others, and should create their own assessment tools. (HB)

Considers how departments of English can evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum and teaching throughout the entire program. Outlines the way that the joint English department at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University developed a full-scale assessment program for the undergraduate major. (HB)

Discusses the psychological impact of chairing an English department in a time of shrinking resources. Provides advice for department heads faced with budget cuts. (HB)

Articulates, through a critical analysis of Atlantic Canada's latest secondary English language arts curriculum documents, the expansion of traditionally understood conceptions of literacy to include information, media, and visual literacies. Examines the specific nature and extent to which technology and computer-mediated curricula are used to…

Uses the example of service learning to examine connections between and definitions of public and private as they are deployed in writing, literacy studies, and the field of English. Argues that, done effectively, service learning fits well into an English Studies that is reconsidering its own boundaries and internal relationships. (RS)