Finds that Agatha Christie's mysteries can be used to encourage discussion of characterization and human values, to promote reading and literary analysis skills, and to develop both writing and problem-solving skills. Suggests several language arts activities. (MM)

Fifteen teachers report on the literary works they use in their classrooms, as well as the teaching methods used with these works. (RL)

Recommends that children, teachers, and parents critically read children's literature to identify and clarify ideological perspectives. Lists types of books for multicultural collections, presents guidelines for critical discussions about books, and identifies types of biases in books. Suggests that children's books open multiple perspectives…

Shares ways in which teachers who use a basal reading series can go beyond the manual and integrate the whole language approach into the language arts program. (MG)

Reviews research on students' attitudes toward reading. Argues that, given more free reading time and more choice about what to read, students are more likely to form the habit of lifelong reading. (SR)

Using "Gone with the Wind" in its German language version provides language reinforcement as well as a means of augmenting the study of literature and cinematic adaptation and cultural contexts. Both novel and film serve as good sources for verbal and written exercises. (LET)

Lists four ideas for gaining help from administrators in dealing with alienated remedial students. Suggests and demonstrates choosing materials that appeal to the students rather than to the teachers, and creating activities that engage and challenge the students. (PRA)

Advocates teaching developmental students to apply the schemata they unconsciously use when choosing movies or television programs to select recreational books. Reviews six steps in surveying/previewing recreational books and three stages of diminishing teacher involvement in book selection. (DMM)

This article focuses on recommended literature for gifted black and other minority students. The use of bibliotherapy with gifted students is described and recommendations are presented for using multicultural literature, along with guidelines for selecting high quality multicultural literature. An annotated bibliography of 10 recommended books is…

Presents a debate between two English teachers (in the form of a critique of a March 1997 article in this journal, a response to that critique, and a rebuttal of that response) on the classics, student choice in reading, and teaching. (SR)

Describes a teacher's experience as a speaker and representative of the religious right at a school board meeting to resolve conflicts over what is suitable reading material for school children. Reviews her personal involvement in the controversy, the nature of the controversy, and the possibility of dialog between the two sides. (TB)

When the author left California for the University of Minnesota twenty-five years ago, he vowed never again to become involved in departmental or university politics. He'd had enough of that at California State, Los Angeles, and he was determined to devote his full attention, apart from teaching, to several scholarly projects that had simmered so…

This book argues that what college students read has crucial implications for both their development as individuals and their ability to establish consensus on national issues. The result of visits to college classrooms all over the United States, the book is not the work of a professional educator but of an editor and literary critic who is…

This paper stresses the importance of Appalachian children being exposed to literature that reflects their way of life and values. The author, who grew up in Appalachia, discusses her difficulties in learning to read because of a lack of literature that related to her way of life. The paper presents an overview of literature that accurately…

With good sequence in reading achievement on the primary grade levels, pupils should be increasingly ready to attain well on the intermediate levels of instruction. Textbooks (basals) in reading need to be selected with great care so that they are on the reading level of involved pupils, not the frustrational nor the too easy to read level. Enough…