Revisiting the writing assignments that the author has given to his sophomores and juniors over the past four years, he can identify patterns that have complicated their writing development. This article explores how Aristotle's enthymeme can serve as an effective prewriting tool for literary analysis in the high school classroom. By foregrounding…

Teaching logic typically falls under the areas of argumentation and research, as students are taught the importance of "logos," or logical appeals, in their pursuit of an original point. Cohesive, cogent arguments--devoid of logical fallacy--produce more compelling points, and teachers take great strides in pointing to the problems of…

A recent book that appeared a few years ago, "How Early America Sounded" by historian Richard Cullen Rath, connects well with much of the new, exciting, interdisciplinary and rhetorical research that the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) have supported, promoted, and…

Most every writing teacher can relate to the curse of reading yet another incoherent essay, the contents of which resemble an unorganized junk drawer of thoughts. Such essays cry out for a main idea. The remedy is a thesis, and teachers rightly take pains to help students discover this. Yet in spite of this, writing teachers ought to bear in mind…

Historical nonfiction is effective in teaching rhetoric for two main reasons. First, historical texts communicate through a real-world lens that students can understand and find familiar. Students study history and are exposed to current events through the news, school, and each other. Second, since history affects people's lives so broadly, its…

The author advocates and describes a composite unit on rhetorical analysis. (MM)

The article stresses the importance for teachers to teach poetry for what it is and can do, and trust that the student will find for it a place in his own life. (Author/LF)

Defines the concept of "audience" as a theoretical concept for writing instructors and readers. Discusses its relationship to the teaching of English. (HB)

Proposes that English teachers have an obligation to give more attention to how language can be used in politics. Examines the characteristics of the basic political message. Offers eight suggestions for classroom exercises. (RL)

Describes how literature can help students contend with racial stereotypes. Discusses the problematic nature of the concept of race. Uses Christopher Columbus as a case study of the author's claim. (HB)

Describes a method of teaching students to identify and analyze misleading or manipulative rhetoric used in political campaigns. Provides excerpts from student-written journals based on the 1992 presidential debates. Argues that such activities are beneficial in English classes. (HB)