In order to help teachers identify works of literature that will remain vibrant parts of their students' lives and give them new insights into themselves, their friends, and their enemies, this journal contains articles suggesting works that the authors found most meaningful to themselves. Titles and authors are as follows: (1) "'April Morning':…

As Latin American literature progressively enters into the English curriculum, two writers deserve special commentary for their representative contribution to the literary world. Through their works, the Columbian author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and the Peruvian author, Mario Vargas Llosa clearly convey the Latin American writer's desire to be…

This study investigated the influences shaping the curriculum decision-making process of four English teachers in two middle schools in order to identify sources of professional autonomy and obligation in classroom curriculum. These teachers made decisions daily by selecting content, texts and materials, modes of presentation, learning activities,…

Feminist literary criticism seems to have the potential to bring new life to old standards taught in the high school English class even if the students are not themselves feminists. A feminist approach to literature instruction was first attempted using "This Is Just to Say" and "The Young Housewife" by William Carlos Williams…

Vietnam War literature offers students a unique mix of themes which in many ways speak directly to them as, perhaps, no other literature is able to. This literature can help them better understand literature, history, the world they live in, and themselves, as well as the Vietnam War. A sequence of classroom activities (beginning with an…

Designed to demonstrate a variety of ways in which listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities can be built around the study of the novel, this collection of materials, lessons, and activities deals with one of the most frequently taught books in New York City ninth-grade classrooms. The document begins with a general introduction to…

This report examines data, on English language arts courses, generated by the Illinois Census of Secondary School Course Offerings and Enrollments conducted in l981-82. Data from the 1976-77 course census are also presented to illustrate stability or shifts in course offerings and enrollments. The first half of the document discusses the summary…

Three young adult novels published in 1983 or 1984 that are worthy of a place in the literature curriculum are discussed. These books have a special appeal to adolescents, deal with problems students might encounter growing up, expand their self-awareness and their experiences, and are teachable. They contain balanced, recognizable, and…

The English teacher does not use literature to teach reading skills; he rather helps students use those skills to understand literature. (JH)

A middle ground, between picky concern for correctness and mushy libertarianism, must be found on which to base effective freshman composition courses. (JH)

A neglected aspect of literary history in high schools is the monumental one--the providing of models or ideals. (JH)

Literature is basically a private, silent enterprise--which is not served by the social, talky processes of the classroom. (JH)

Advocates the abandonment by teachers of some of their traditional viewpoints (historical and cultural), goals, and methods and, through the use of technology in some cases, proposes developing closer ties to the children and the community of which they are a part. (SF)