Part of a three-program set, this computer software program is designed to aid teachers in the search for literary meaning by providing questions from different reading positions. The program provides 150 questions in 3 forms--a generic version of each question (without reference to any particular work), an example question (showing how the…

Discusses "symbologizing schemata," the advanced processes by which readers comprehend narratives and the symbols embedded in literary works. Notes how teachers can apply knowledge of symbologizing schemata to instruction in literature classes. (RL)

Cites a lack of reading experience as a primary cause for the poor writing style of most college freshmen and encourages creating an interest in reading in the composition classroom as the most beneficial way to develop students' writing skills. (HTH)

Discusses approaches to teaching literature in high schools during an era of retrenchment and calls for a return to the "basics." Considers rationales for making literature study relevant to students' and society's needs. (JT)

Describes a literature course organized around the themes of home and family that are meaningful to freshmen and sophomores, which demonstrates that good writers draw their characters and formulate their conflicts from universal human experiences and concerns. (MKM)

Considers how mother-daughter relationships and gender role socialization are portrayed in two novels, "Caddie Woodlawn" by Carol Ryrie Brink and "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson. Shows how both novels reveal deeply embedded assumptions about gender roles and relationships. (HB)

Describes the bibliographic instruction component of an undergraduate English course which incorporates concepts of poststructuralist literary criticism and history of the book to develop critical thinking skills. Course objectives, the role of book design and textual study in the course, and library sessions covering information resources and the…

Describes how one English teacher uses Leslie Marmon Silko's novel "Ceremony" as in introduction to Native American culture and as a complex example of narrative and storytelling. Shows how the book's difficulties are enhanced by the large differences between mainstream American and Native American cultures. (HB)

In attempting to reach their students, college English teachers must take seriously the postmodern sensibility as it is oriented to a culture of commodification. Instructors should face this commodification head-on, using it to show students that they have agency as consumers. This forthright acceptance of the 1990s orientation does more to help…

This book opens up ways of teaching and devising programs which place the students' cultural experiences at the center of language production and consumption. It provides concrete models of cultural studies programs and classrooms for high school and college teachers who would like to try the "cultural studies approach." It also offers a…

This curriculum guide demonstrates how the "Ramayana," one of India's epic literary treasures, can be used in a literature unit in English classes for ninth-grade students. The unit incorporates a useful comparison to the Greek epic, the "Odyssey." Included in this curriculum guide are the following sections: the text (an…

Suggesting that many works by and about women are available, accessible, and necessary to balance the high school English curriculum, this book offers diverse selections from women writers and introduces practical ideas on how to integrate them into the curriculum. Multicultural and feminist, the book is intended for teachers already engaged in…

Providing students with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school, the Advanced Placement English course described in this guide is designed to help students (1) want to choose from a wide range of literature for independent reading; (2) develop a critical awareness about literature; (3) recognize connections among works of…

Poetry of the romantic age is often uninviting to students, leaving them puzzled because they do not sense the connections between the poetry and themselves. Yet, much romantic poetry can be enjoyed and comprehended if approached in terms of some personal, reflective, and connective readings. Wordsworth and Whitman are often avoided because they…

This course, designed to help students explore serious thoughts about the future of society, is intended for an English literature class at the advanced secondary level. The course consists of nine interrelated modules that deal with the following topics: current predictions about the future, with special attention to the film "Future Shock";…