Kelly Sassi and Ebony Elizabeth Thomas describe their struggles and eventual success with students in constructing a "counternarrative to colormuteness and colorblindness"--the self-imposed student segregation and silencing of voice. Because of discussions during a Native American unit and student participation in a classroom intervention…

"Authenticity," "intrinsic motivation," "confidence," and "student choice." More than just jargon, these ideas are essential for student achievement. Facing the pressures of mandated standards and assessments, teachers often replace activities that allow for student choice and multiple outcomes with…

High school teacher Cara M. Arver walks teachers through her experience of setting up a virtual world to augment students' reading of "Lord of the Flies." Students interact as additional characters, discuss and solve problems based on the circumstances of the story, and complete classroom assignments within a virtual environment.

"Speak," by Laurie Halse Anderson, is one of the most powerful young adult novels to come along in the past decade. It has won numerous awards, including the "School Library Journal" award for "Best Book of the Year," and was a National Book Award Finalist. Despite this acclaim, many English teachers are uncomfortable teaching "Speak" in their…

Although interest plays a large role in motivation and confidence, we need a clearer understanding of how teachers and classroom practices can influence students' interest for the act of writing. Rebecca L. Lipstein and K. Ann Renninger studied the perceptions of 178 students in grades 7, 8, and 9 to develop this understanding. They offer…

Presents the author's experiences as a kind of case study of what it looks and sounds like when "doing" Shakespeare is in the foreground of instruction and "play" is the thing that makes that happen. Discusses guidelines and suggestions for putting a play together. (SG)

Notes that despite students' attitudes, educators need to remember the best in those students, the times when they show enormous kindness. Describes an example of this one winter day in the author's ninth-grade English class. (SG)

Describes how a group of ninth graders cooperated to produce a 28-minute sound-slide show based on Alan Paton's "Cry the Beloved Country." (DD)

Advocates reinforcing the connections among speaking, listening, reading, and writing in the English classroom. Discusses the author's frustrations experienced in integrating speaking and listening with reading and writing instruction, and suggests several ways to deal with these frustrations. (MM)

Considers how the successful teaching of Shakespeare represents the ultimate challenge for many English teachers, one that measures their ability to enlighten and inspire. Discusses how her colleague approaches teaching Shakespeare to eight graders. Describes how she approaches teaching Henry V to her ninth grade students. (SG)

Capitalizing on students' interest in a local newspaper story, a research and writing project is developed that resulted in ninth-grade students finding their voice and power through writing. Although not being able to see the impact of their writing on their audiences, the students felt the impact of being given the respected distinction of…

Presents a dialog among three English teachers concerning teaching performance poetry to ninth graders. (RS)

Describes nine prewriting activities using supermarket tabloids as the model for producing a newspaper on mythology. (RS)

It is very important and fun for the English teacher to take time simply to read to the students. (JH)

A ninth grade English curriculum combined group work, the inquiry method, problem solving, and creative dramatics to prepare students to meet a changing future. (DD)