The question of how "teachers and students [can] connect their learning to the broader society" drives Jeraldine R. Kraver's search for ways to use critical pedagogy in secondary school and university classrooms. Focusing on the topic of gender equity, she shows how teachers can use literature to create critical classrooms. In addition, she offers…

Explores the importance of students' extemporaneous talk about student writing, literature, and personal experiences in various group contexts. Asserts that developing a student's mind is the English teacher's primary goal. Describes how teachers can achieve this by taking a less prominent role in managing class discussion as students gain…

Suggests that the contrasting cultural and material circumstances of children in the United States and Spain contribute to their relative capacities for critical thinking and discussion. Suggests that Spanish adolescents hesitate to take a stand without openly discussing their feelings, while North American students hate discussion that wanders…

Examines the discussions and writings of a group of working-class female high school students reading popular romances as a group independent-study project. Offers a resistant view of what "escapist" reading might be escaping from. Demonstrates the thoughtful and critical responses of these students, all in low-track classes, as they…

Pamela K. Coke observes two high school English teachers who carry out practical assessments that supply them with an understanding of student achievement. The strategies used, such as Socratic seminar, book club meetings, and sticky notes, provide constructive information about what students are able to do and help identify ways such practices…