The authors separately discuss novels that "went well" in their secondary school classes, analyze their success, and discuss the ways in which they and their classes shared the books together. The books discussed are Ian Serraillier's "The Silver Sword" and Albert Camus'"The Outsider," published in the United States…

Highlights the contents and scope of the 13-volume "Literature: Uses of the Imagination," and its companion volume, "An Anatomy of Literature," a literary collection developed and supervised by Northrop Frye. Questions whether these volumes could be successful in American classrooms of the 1980s. (RL)

Student response should play a greater role in the study of literature. (DD)

Discusses the impact of the basics movement and of elective programs on the teaching of literature in high school. (DD)

Points out problems with the methodology used for instruction in Zimbabwean (Rhodesian) literature classes. (DD)

Demonstrates the usefulness of readers theater in the literature class. (DD)

Examines the portrayal of orphans in four young adult novels. Applies Northrop Frye's modes of literature to seven stages of the orphans' quest for safety, as found in each book. (SR)

Proposes that Flannery O'Connor's work should be judged apart from the author's comments about it. Suggests her work should be evaluated on its own merits, read as fiction that represents and reflects the real world. Concludes that O'Connor was a "religious propagandist of minor importance who wrote didactic fiction." (PM)

Suggests students will view film adaptations of Shakespeare plays more critically by carefully analyzing the same scene from several different film versions. Discusses relevant scenes from "Romeo and Juliet" for classroom interpretation. Suggests that by providing students the vocabulary to discuss the film, educators can encourage them…

Finds the film "Dead Poets Society" superficial, misleading, and seriously flawed. Examines seven pedagogical issues raised by the film, including (1) should a teacher who suspects that students are about to break school rules connive at their misconduct? and (2) are "sensitivity games" likely to have a lasting effect on…

Gives a brief biography of Will Weaver, author of young adult fiction, and a detailed review of Weaver's "Striking Out" and its sequel "Farm Team." Explains that the two novels focus on a young adult's family life and his aspiration to excel as a baseball player on the middle school team. (TB)

Discusses the life and writing career of the popular author of adolescent literature, Gary Paulsen. Considers each of Paulsen's novels individually as literary works and the entire corpus as artistic achievement. (HB)

Considers the ways in which different ideologies promote particular understandings of texts and certain kinds of readings. Outlines three broad ideologies of reading and interpreting literature. Argues for the usefulness of a reading pedagogy drawing upon cultural criticism. Provides classroom activities to foster such a way of reading. (HB)

Provides a curriculum unit using the novel "Fahrenheit 451" to provide student-centered activities based on solid pedagogical methodology. Emphasizes value-centered analysis of the novel, comparison of alternative arguments, and integration of cooperative learning activities. (PRA)