The use of small group work in the classroom can increase student motivation, interest, participation, learning, and retention. Small group work can also increase the quality and quantity of participation among students, elevate the level of thinking skills developed in the classroom, increase the level of self-esteem among participants, and teach…

An innovative communication skills laboratory, created in 1971 at the middle school of the Greenburgh School District of New York State, focused on non-verbal communication, as well as the language arts and literature. The laboratory was designed to replace an English program that stigmatized low achievers and separated them from their peers. A…

Renewed interest in the connection between black English and reading difficulty warrants a summary of the groundwork laid in the 1960s and 1970s. Linguists have established the fact that black English is a legitimate language, that its speakers are not language deficient, and that the basic difference in black and standard English pertains to…

This monograph proposes a theoretical basis for advocating a program of disciplinary arts education as an integral part of general education from kindergarten through grade 12. The theme of the essay is the role that images play in everyday experience and the formation of the educated mind. Images are sensory patterns or patterns produced by the…

Designed primarily for English faculty at two-year colleges in California, "Inside English" includes articles on major instructional, curricular, administrative, and employment issues of concern to teachers in the field as well as information on the activities of the English Council of the California Two-Year Colleges (ECCTYC). The Fall 1976,…

With the encouragement of an English instructor for whom English was a second language and who was consequently enthusiastic about writing experiences, English students in a Texas high school put together an anthology of literary criticism on the modern American novel. Honor students read American novels of their choice and wrote evaluations of…

This document presents reports on the major components of the Pennsylvania Comprehensive Reading/Communication Arts Plan devised to provide literacy instruction at all educational levels in Philadelphia. Marjorie Farmer presents an overview of the program, and Peggy Glover reports on services provided at the Free Library of Philadelphia, including…

The first and last essays of 209 randomly selected students who had received a passing grade in English Composition I at Bucks County Community College during Fall, 1976, were evaluated at the end of the semester by a committee of English teachers from other institutions. The committee assessed improvement in relation to several instructional…

Suggests an alternative understanding of imitation, according to which a student learns by imitating another person, rather than a text or process. Proposes that composition teaching works when it effectively models an identity which students can accept. (MS)

Describes the recent work done in Great Britain designed to create a national curriculum in secondary schools in England and Wales. Discusses the organization of the curriculum with mathematics, English, and science being at the core. Suggestions for appropriate time allotments for different courses and themes are also provided. (TW)

This 17th annual report presents information on current trends and issues informally discussed by the directors of six National Council of Teachers of English commissions. Commission on Composition (Richard Gebhardt, director) discussed the role of writing in literacy; interactions of race, class, language, and learning; teaching grammar;…

A Microelectronics Education Programme-funded project is developing computer assisted learning modules in the languages, science, and craft/design technology, as well as fostering computer awareness. The project's goal is to produce materials which will pave the way for the rapidly changing curriculum in addition to producing materials for…

Describes a social studies assignment developed for Arizona eighth graders that focuses on Arizona history but also incorporates English, math, and computer programming skills to create a computer program about traveling through the state. Topics discussed include classroom management, computer requirements, community involvement, and interaction…

Recounts the activist history of the Conference on College Composition and Communication in working toward a more democratic valuing of language diversity by both teachers and the public. Focuses on two organizational policies of CCCC, the "Students' Right" resolution of 1974 and the "National Language Policy" of 1988,…

Developed and field-tested by an English teacher using a group of at-risk, urban high-school students, this book shows how to create a constructivist, or student-centered, approach to teaching English--one that encourages critical thinking. The book shows educators how to develop new and effective teaching units and includes reproducible…