Suggests encouraging students to use three or four steps to disintegrate their original objective descriptions of an event in a novel as a way to experiment with writing and to develop some critical observations about the author's fictional world. (TJ)

Suggests a short library assignment researching journal articles pertaining to a student's major or vocational interest as a way to encourage exploration of the library, prepare students for writing more lengthy papers, and introduce students to a variety of material related to specific subjects. (TJ)

Suggests the use of a chart to help students learn to use apostrophes correctly. (TJ)

Describes the use of a documentary novel, "Nothing but the Truth" by Avi, to help students understand the genre of persuasion. Describes assignments in which students enact a panel discussion, debate, and write a persuasive essay. (SR)

Describes a method for teaching composition which develops students' intellectual and literary skills. (RB)

Describes an exercise designed to make students aware that the meaning of words is context-dependent and that everyday usages differ in meaning from poetic uses. (RB)

Presents an exercise intended to help students understand that reading literature is a worthwhile endeavor. (RB)

Describes the contents and evaluation methods used in a high school course designed to get students to read more. (RB)

Describes a science fiction course in which students learn to identify the characteristics and themes of science fiction and are required to write one science fiction story. (RB)

Presents a teaching guide for the novel "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant," including questions for discussion and writing about individual characters and the novel as a whole. (HTH)

Discusses ways to organize a course in classical mythology. Presents classroom exercises including matching and word games, as well as extension exercises. Concludes with a list of sources on mythology. (HTH)

Presents exercises and activities on the novel, "The Red Badge of Courage," that are designed to supplement the basic comprehension exercises in a literature class. (FL)

Describes a test to determine students' understanding of poetry that avoids the difficulties of objective tests and involves the students with poetry on the test. (TJ)

Describes an assignment for high school or college literature classes in which students focus on a particular character, answer a list of questions about that character, and eventually write an imagined yet realistic dialog with that character. Notes that this helps students grasp a character's complexity and depth. (SR)