Finds that Agatha Christie's mysteries can be used to encourage discussion of characterization and human values, to promote reading and literary analysis skills, and to develop both writing and problem-solving skills. Suggests several language arts activities. (MM)

Recommends using "antique" adolescent literature as a way of stimulating student interest. Cites several examples of nineteenth century literature that can be so used. (JL)

Fifteen teachers report on the literary works they use in their classrooms, as well as the teaching methods used with these works. (RL)

Lists four ideas for gaining help from administrators in dealing with alienated remedial students. Suggests and demonstrates choosing materials that appeal to the students rather than to the teachers, and creating activities that engage and challenge the students. (PRA)

Presents a debate between two English teachers (in the form of a critique of a March 1997 article in this journal, a response to that critique, and a rebuttal of that response) on the classics, student choice in reading, and teaching. (SR)

Discusses the difficulties connected with preparing students to read "the classics" for pleasure. (EL)

Presents the annual list of reading choices of approximately 350 tenth through twelfth graders from among newly published books. Shows that the most popular category for reading was contemporary realism. (EL)

Provides an annotated bibliography of sources that will help teachers select materials and structure activities in oral interpretation, readers theatre, improvisation, and creative speaking for the English classroom. (MM)

From a sample of young adult novels, describes how teachers are portrayed as objects of humor, love, and outright hatred and as shrewd manipulators and innocent victims. (CRH)

Describes the efforts of educators throughout the twentieth century to challenge committees, commissions, and teachers of English to investigate and communicate possible solutions to problems faced by real English teachers in real classrooms. (MM)

Reports on the author's shift from depending on popular adolescent novels to the more traditional "classics" as the reading materials for his literature classes. (RL)

Describes how a multicultural unit was added to a high school American literature course, noting that this necessitated selecting a large number of new books for the school library. Discusses goals of the multicultural project and its main interpretive assignment. Describes briefly selected works by four new African American writers and four new…

Describes the experiences of a university professor and a secondary school teacher in introducing innovations into the English classroom. (MM)

Suggests that the works of Willa Cather can be used to introduce students to the skills and outlooks needed to read literature. (JL)