This literary analysis examines constructions of normalcy and disability within contemporary young adult literature, including "Jerk," "California" (Friesen, 2008), "Marcelo in the Real World" (Stork, 2009), and "Five Flavors of Dumb" (John, 2010). As recent winners of the Schneider Family Book Award from the American Library Association, these…

Suggestions for using Dead Souls" in the high school literature class. (SP)

Describes one teacher's insights into the fictional works, and especially the characters, created by the British novelist Jane Austen. (HB)

Science fiction today provides the best opportunity to introduce ideas that will get students involved.

Discusses the novel "Web of Dreams" by Virginia Andrews, a favorite among many secondary students. Considers the book as subject for secondary English study. Claims that the novel defies most teacherly prejudices about formula writing. Provides detailed criticism of the novel. (HB)

This paper discusses the history and effect of popular culture generally and of the adolescent formula novel specifically. Seven primary characteristics of art as popular culture are that the work is accessible, easy to understand, conventional in form, not shocking in content, expressive of common and appropriate values, relative to some element…

Presents a rationale for teaching "Catch-22" in the 1980s. (DF)

An upper school English program has been experimenting with ways to reinforce its traditional literary curriculum with contemporary works. Three contemporary novels in particular (Naylor's "The Women of Brewster Place," Walker's "The Color Purple," and Miller's "A Canticle for Leibowitz") have been found to foster a sense of continuity with the…

This 20-week course in mystery fiction for high school students is designed to provide experiences in logical thinking, reasoned written presentation, the nature of literary analysis via the crime story, and the tools of research. Students should be able to (1) use their language well, (2) read critically with attention to detail, and (3) meet and…

THESE THREE TESTS--"ROUGHING IT,""THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA," AND "THE SHORT STORY"--WERE DESIGNED BY THE OREGON CURRICULUM STUDY CENTER FOR A NINTH-GRADE LITERATURE CURRICULUM. THEY ARE INTENDED TO ACCOMPANY CURRICULUM UNITS AVAILABLE AS ED 010 811 AND ED 010 812. (MM)

This paper discusses several novels written by black American writers that deal with the initiation experiences of young blacks, and should, therefore, appeal to black adolescents. The novels are grouped according to the three stages in the initiation experience of the adolescent: separation; transition; and incorporation. In separation, the…

A discussion of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's novels, The First Circle" and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," and a recommendation for their inclusion in the English curriculum. (RD)

A discussion and analysis of a novel, "The Pigman," are given. The story is described as one that appeals to adolescents and also is a good means for exemplifying how an author works. The plot is described as the story of three lonely people--two teenagers and an old widower. It is a novel revealing the duality of life through the use of…

THE STUDENT PACKET FOR GRADE 10 OF THE NEBRASKA ENGLISH CURRICULUM BEGINS WITH FOUR UNITS ON LITERATURE, EACH STRESSING AN ASPECT OF MAN'S CONCEPTION OF THE WORLD. THROUGH A STUDY OF THE LITERATURE OF SEVERAL CULTURES, WRITTEN AT VARIOUS TIMES, STUDENTS FIRST CONSIDER "MAN AND NATURE, MAN'S PICTURE OF NATURE." THE SECOND UNIT, "MAN…

Details some of the current critical arguments concerning Mark Twain's depiction of the runaway slave Jim in the novel "Huckleberry Finn." Describes classroom experiences teaching the novel and how a reader's cultural background influences reactions to it. Provides principles and caveats for teaching the novel. Lists works about slavery…