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)

Describes a method of teaching students to identify and analyze misleading or manipulative rhetoric used in political campaigns. Provides excerpts from student-written journals based on the 1992 presidential debates. Argues that such activities are beneficial in English classes. (HB)

Discusses the processes by which students think through and compose essays. Shows how writers often begin with the conclusion, or the ending. Provides a basic three-step model which allows students to analyze literary works systematically, with the objective of producing organized essays. (HB)

Presents annotations of 11 works of young-adult literature (published in 1992 or 1993) representing the diverse cultures found in most classrooms. (HB)

Defends the exclusion of Shakespeare course requirements for the English Department at Indiana University by explaining that "Shakespeare can take care of himself"--students will sign up for as many Shakespeare classes as offered. Presents opposing obstacles and objectives to this curricular decision. (SC)

Considers the long-term future of the teaching of English. Discusses what English is for, what the content of English should be, what progression in English is, how the English curriculum should be assessed, and implications for teachers. Recommends actions the National Association for the Teaching of English should take to influence the upcoming…

This book presents spirited and thought-provoking conversations with 9 (10 including the interviewer) internationally renowned women scholars who share their insights on the social, political, and cultural contexts of education. The book recognizes the need for ongoing international dialogue in the field of English education. Following a prologue,…

The introduction of multiculturalism into the literature curriculum at community colleges has been problematic. Some groups view the trend as an advance of ethnocentrism, while others feel that multicultural texts collide with traditional academic study. Even those who agree with the goal of broadening the curriculum to reflect global diversity do…

The English major at Missouri Western State College has five separate emphases. The English education and English literature emphases are traditional majors with required courses in literature, language and composition. The other emphases are technical communications, public relations, and writing. Since the state recently started requiring public…

Instructors in junior college English courses need to study, analyze, and experiment with diverse philosophies of teaching. A problem solving philosophy is one worth emphasizing, in which the instructor guides students to select vital problems from a stimulating learning environment. After a problem is identified, information is gathered by the…

At present, the composition program at San Diego State is located in two departments. The Academic Skills Center offers pre-baccalaureate courses for basic writers and developmental ESL writers. The Department of English and Comparative Literature offers most of the required general education two-semester sequence, advanced composition courses,…

Spanning the years 1932-1982, this book details the history of the National Conference on Research in English (NCRE) in terms of members' activities, research directions taken, and accomplishments. The first section of the book, "The Founding," reviews the initial efforts to establish the organization; examines its early programs;…

Traditional teaching of English language arts is based on a receptive-accrual view of learning, which places the learner in a passive rather than an active role in the teaching-learning process. This approach conveys to the learner the view that the subject matter is fragmented and that teachers prepare discrete, disconnected lessons. L.M.…

In tracing the development of language curriculum in public schools, one discovers that prior to the twentieth century grammar was the center of linguistic attention. Around the beginning of the century, psychologists and others were doing research on the supposed efficacious results of such study and were finding that such supposed results were…