This paper critiques discourse surrounding language learning strategies within Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and argues for the creation of new definitions of language learning strategies that are rooted in the socio-political and socio-economic contexts of the marginalized. Section one of this paper describes linguistic…

For two decades the International Literacy Association (ILA) has published the "What's Hot, What's Not in Literacy Survey." In the last five years, the hottest topics featured on the lists have largely been connected to the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards (ELA CCSS)--a publication produced by the National Governors…

This research is exploring how emerging technologies are impacting teaching pedagogy and whether these technologies are nurturing higher order thinking in secondary schools in Australia. Technology in education has been identified as a 'wicked problem' (P. Mishra & Koehler, 2008) and a conundrum (Arntzen, 2008). It has been described as an…

With a national reputation for high standards and a rigorous assessment system, Massachusetts now faces a critical transition. The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's (BESE) December 2015 decision to develop a new state assessment (Next-Generation MCAS) brought with it the opportunity to improve the 2011 state standards for…

Despite the largely degrading media representations of Blackness, historically, Black girls and women have been strong activists, disrupting narratives the media conveys about Black girl- and womanhood. Centering Black girls' lived experience through critical media literacy can give them the opportunity to develop the language to identify,…

Technology today plays a significant role in the lives of many students who are part of a technology-driven culture that they have grown up with. It would seem unimaginable for young adults today to communicate or exchange ideas without using technology. The plethora of devices competing with the computer, from smartphones to tablets, just to name…

This essay focuses on my experience studying Stephen Kelman's "Pigeon English" with Year 9 and the complexities of that particular classroom. It seeks to look beyond the labels that are often imposed on students and to show the importance of examining the particular individuals, both as learners and as people with their own lives outside…

This article discusses the arts, multimodality, and new technologies in English language arts. It then turns to the example of the illuminated text--a multimodal book report consisting of animated text, music, and images--to consider how art, multimodality, and technology can work together to support students' reading of literature and inspire…

Beginning teachers of English are entering a profession in which their subject is increasingly framed according to prescriptive models of literacy. This is happening at a time of shift away from university provision towards school-led training. We offer a spatialised theorisation of the ways in which beginning teachers of English have drawn from…

This paper considers the identity of the English teacher, paying particular attention to the English teacher who is also a writer, or, "teacher-writer". Applying a degree of self-study, the author examines her own pathway into becoming an English teacher, noting that entry requirements to become an English teacher in Australia show a…

This article identifies the arguments for and against the common core state standards in English language arts and mathematics. Although the standards need to be differentiated for gifted students, the author suggests that these standards may offer a way to transform education in the classroom, so that all students are able to fulfill their…

In this testimony, the author first describes her qualifications, as well as the lack of relevant qualifications in Common Core's standards writers and in most of the members of Common Core's Validation Committee, on which she served in 2009-2010. The author then details some of the many problems in the 2011 Massachusetts ELA standards, written by…

Read and admired throughout the world, Shakespeare's plays and poetry have been the guiding light of statesmen, of authors, and of artists. His writings are the indispensable foundation for understanding English literature, language, and rhetoric. Yet less than 8% of the nation's top universities require English majors to take even a single course…

Our country is a multi-ethnic country with plentiful national culture achievements, and the development of the national culture shows a trend of diversity, so cultural identity construction is particularly important. Article analyzes the concept of national identity, the relation between cultural identity and ethnic identity, the present situation…

This article draws on my experiences of teaching "Stone Cold" to respond to a blog post suggesting that the novel holds little educational value. I argue that the novel's narrative style helps to foster criticality while its subject matter can help students see the relevance of literature to the world around them. Relating this to…