Reminds readers what a deeply problematical exercise teaching Shakespeare can be. Describes teaching "Romeo and Juliet" to a mixed ability year 10 class. Argues that Shakespeare should not be obligatory in the secondary classroom; that there is no excuse for the elitist attitudes around Shakespeare; and that Shakespeare should be treated…

Argues that classic authors can and should still be kept at the center of the literature curricula in the middle school. Uses Leo Tolstoy as an example, describing briefly some of Tolstoy's works that are especially appropriate for early middle school readers, later middle schoolers of average reading ability, and the most able middle school…

Encourages the idea of cross-generational shared reading experiences. Presents annotations (written by students) of 12 titles. Notes that almost half of the books that are featured have been around for a while, and yet they are still fresh for new readers. (SG)

Explores how, although minority and female authors have found a place on many English departments' reading lists, the debate over the benefits of a diverse curriculum still linger. (EV)

Along with pioneering thrusts into new thematic territory for children's literature has come experimentation in form, style, and technique, even more marked in the field of illustration than in verbal narrative. This article serves as an introduction to contributions by English, French and American experts on children's literature. (Author/SJ)

Reveals the ways college curricula influence secondary school reading lists, and examines how and why definitions of "classic" literature change. (JL)

Suggests using children's classics to promote interest in reading and lists several favorites in the categories of adventure, humor and fantasy, stories of family life, and historical fiction and history. (MKM)

Addresses the question of what graduate students should know about fields of English in which they are not specializing. Finds the best answer is to teach "the classics." Illustrates with the example of a course on "The Faerie Queene" and "Paradise Lost," to show students how to work with texts and what can be…

Defends "Velveteen Rabbit," a beloved classic, on its 75th anniversary. Finds that the story of a toy which becomes real has stood the test of time, even though critics call it overly sentimental. States that it deals with a universal theme and prepares its young readers for life's vicissitudes. Lists the book's classic elements. Gives questions…

Presents student-written summaries about nine science fiction, mysteries, humor, historical fiction, classics, and books that may become classics that the students felt were the best books they ever read. (SG)

Believes that young people need contemporary authors who maintain the tradition of the classics. Notes that sometimes the language of the classics seems stilted and overly formal to students. Suggests having students read contemporary and classic novels together. Explores how teachers might link the novels of Louise Plummer and Jane Austen. (SG)

Describes how high school students can give J. Alfred Prufrock (from T.S. Eliot's serious poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock") a "makeover" so he can acquire more self-confidence. Shows how this makeover exercise can lead students to a deeper general understanding and appreciation of complex literary characters and of a…

This interview with author and illustrator Rosemary Wells focuses on her picture books for children. Topics include reading aloud, saving and retelling the classics, influences on her work, page-design preferences, emotional content, the development process, working with other illustrators, and material from other cultures. (LRW)

Reviews the method and practice taught in Cicero's "De Oratore," which is explicitly designed to allow for the comparative estimate of competing positions and represents an effort to find the possible basis for cooperative action in any controversy. Implications are drawn for contemporary teaching. (Author/SLD)

An interdisciplinary activity in which students can see how a famous author, Leo Tolstoy, metaphorically applied the integration steps from calculus to illustrate his ideas about how history should be studied is described. The activity provides a startling and energizing conclusion to a unit on applications of integration and provokes students'…