Suggests that "Johnny Can Read" the popular magazines that Johnny wants to read, and encourages teachers to consider making such magazines a part of the reading program. (DD)

Encourages English teachers to promote letter writing among their students. (DD)

Describes one high school English teacher's experience and attitudes about students' engagement and/or boredom with the English classes. Discusses several events that have helped to shaped how she deals with students who may or may not care about the course of study. (SG)

Describes a classroom incident that underlines the need for levity and posits inviting involvement in poetry. Suggests collections of poems that will engage the junior high or middle school student. (JK)

Argues that schools must be redesigned so that students, rather than content, are the focus of the high school curriculum. Claims that narrow-minded departmentalism is one of the primary obstacles to be overcome to achieve schools that focus on students instead of content areas. Mentions a team-taught humanities course. (RS)

Argues that the classroom itself is the greatest point of impact to work with students against the tide of disengagement that often appears in seniors. Discusses how assignments can be geared toward the idea of keeping students connected. Discusses the importance of teaching to lifetime goals. (SR)

Suggests that the movie "E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial:" is a classic because it touches a mythic nerve--every person's impulse to find a home within an alien environment. Proposes that E.T.'s story, with its New Testament parallels, can be used to teach literary allusion. (MM)

Recounts the reaction of a withdrawn ninth grader in a lower-level English class who began participating in class discussions after receiving a response to a letter he wrote to author Stephen King. Notes that the student, now a graphics arts major at a state university, still corresponds with his English teacher. (RS)

Two secondary classroom teachers and teacher educators in the English education program share their beliefs about and experiences with teaching writing. They discuss the importance of writing with a sense of purpose, of keeping one's audience in mind and of considering the role of the teachers to get the students fired up.

Uses experiences with remedial readers to urge that reading must have a purpose--one purpose ultimately linked to the need for beauty, humor, and order. (MM)

Five librarians discuss ways of increasing the lines of communication between English teachers and librarians to promote reading as a lifelong learning habit. (RL)

Considers the historical perspectives of teaching English to students in technical and vocational education programs. Provides ideas and resources for engaging such students in English study. (JT)

Reports what students had to say about teachers, school, kids, and life. Finds that their thoughts fall into four categories: respect, responsibility, response, and relationship. (SR)

This article is an open letter to English teachers by the author, a second-year graduate student in English education doing substitute teaching. She argues that as a substitute teacher, expectations of her teaching abilities and those of most substitute teachers are incredibly low, and that low expectations often result in low performance. Here,…

Describes how one 71-year-old Chinese student learning English as a second language succeeded by following the ethic "must study hard--work hard." Commends this approach and claims that age should not deter one's enthusiasm for learning. (JD)