Presents an exchange between two English professors who offer opposing perspectives on the profession of English. Covers arguments on the understanding of theory, literary history, reading, curricular design, and pedagogy through the examination of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Minister's Black Veil." (MM)

Examines the strategies first grade students use when reading two types of materials--basal and student-authored. Finds that children used more efficient strategies and had better comprehension when reading student-authored stories. (MM)

Presents a summary of readers' responses to a survey on recurring ethical dilemmas in early childhood education: the dilemma concerns divorced parents and what early childhood educators can do that is most beneficial to the child when the noncustodial parent (mother) requests confidential information about the child and its father. (BB)

Examines effects of three writing tasks on students' writing, writing processes, and later understanding of short stories. Results indicate that personal analytic and formal analytic writing were associated with significantly higher posttest scores on literature than restricted writing in the form of short answer questions. (SRT)

Cites limited meanings derived from a film, "The Shooting Gallery," by both eighth grade and library school students to support argument that students are not using critical analysis skills in responding to works of art. Developmentally-sound literature-based programs are recommended as one way to help students develop critical thinking skills.…

Outlines a student-conducted literature course that uses several classic novels ("My Antonia,""The Pearl," etc.) as the basis for group discussion, writing, and oral performance activities--all directed toward extracting "meaning" from the books selected. (NKA)

Investigates how children represent meaning in their response to stories through listening, speaking, reading, drawing, and writing. Finds no one particular language process to be exclusively used by children to convey meaning in response to story. Discovers sequential and simultaneous linkage patterns of language process modality. (KEH)

Explores how several kinds of metadiscourse that convey interpersonal meanings affect readers. Describes results of an immediate recall test given on two informative paragraphs which contained some modality markers. Discusses possible roles of modality markers in discourse processes. (KEH)

Hypothesizes that typographic cues structured according to a defined set of common attributes within textbooks enable readers to discriminate between various levels of information and to make generalizations about the information contained in each level. Proposes a method of identifying and ranking categories of information. (KEH)

Recommends using "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl: A Teacher Response Unit." Lists examples of activities contained in the unit, including timeliness, simulations, and writing assignments. Highlights specific activities concerning propaganda, discrimination, and prejudice. (MJP)

Describes one teacher's experiences with helping seventh graders become lifelong readers. Discusses the importance of reading aloud to students and how reading, listening, and discussing can help improve writing through the use of reading journals. (MG)

Focuses on a lesson plan that uses reader-response theory to engage students in a study of a short poem about the holocaust. Reader response theory maintains that each reader brings valuable insight and experience to the interpretation of a work. Includes an annotated bibliography on Holocaust poetry. (MJP)

Examines the case of two classes that used online posting of student papers to facilitate peer response critiquing. Reveals how many women may feel that choosing a male pseudonym is necessary for credibility; and sheds light on the readers' responses to particular identities. Considers the significance of gender choices in terms of classroom…

In this article, the authors discuss how Louise Rosenblatt's work influenced many teachers' teaching and learning practices. Rosenblatt was known for helping readers find their rightful place in the act of reading. Louise argued in the 1930s (and steadfastly maintained until her recent death) that the act of reading was a dynamic transaction…

Describes the humanities curriculum at the North Carolina Governor's School which focuses on two courses of study: (1) one of ten academic disciplines (art, choral music, dance, drama , English, foreign language, instrumental music, math, natural science, social science), and (2) foundations in epistemology. (SRT)