Presents five excerpts from student essays (resulting from extensive in-class coaching and computer lab time) that were based on an article from the December, 1991, issue of "English Journal." (HB)

Discusses the architectonics of four essays: John McPhee's "Travels in Georgia," Richard Rhodes'"Death All Day," and two by student writers. Diagrams each essay, showing how these writers built bridges of words over experiences. (SR)

Argues that Jane Austen's unpublished juvenile work "The History of England" has considerable relevance to twentieth-century high-school English classrooms. Notes that the work humorously shows the gender bias of traditional history texts because it is a "woman-centered" rewriting. (RS)

Suggests language arts instructors use film adaptations as well as novels to teach literature. (PRA)

Discusses a variety of novels, especially children's novels, in which characters feel alienated by their environments and attempt to locate a more receptive environment, one which might be termed a "home." Argues that the home/not-home framework can be a useful model for teaching children about literature. (HB)

Discusses how portfolios can assist middle-school teachers in placing graduating students in English class at the high school level. Illustrates issues involved by using the example of Elvis Presley completing his portfolio. (RS)

Describes the techniques and strategies suggested by practicing poets for teaching poetry. Discusses specifically what teachers should not do when studying poetry with students. Advocates teaching contemporary American poets, and provides a list of some of the best. (HB)

Shows how one teacher incorporated poetry more broadly into the English curriculum. Gives 12 practical suggestions for getting students more involved in poetry. (HB)

Discusses and compares two recent books on American higher education: "The Closing of the American Mind" by Allan Bloom, and "Lives on the Boundary" by Mike Rose. Develops a view which synthesizes those of Bloom and Rose. Considers this view as comparable to that of Paul Goodman. (HB)

Discusses the ongoing dialogs concerning paradigm shifts in education, especially with regard to English instruction. Describes one teacher's experiences with the issue of paradigm shift in the form of a blues song. Shows how teachers can move beyond the questions of paradigms. (HB)

Provides an account of how one teacher taught poetry by first focusing on what students knew about a poem and then moving to what they were surprised by and, thus, to what they did not know. Outlines how such a method was carried out in the classroom with Marge Piercy's poem, "Councils." (HB)

Explores the dialectical analysis of ideological formation formulated by Goran Therborn. Draws on Therborn's analysis to discuss, present dilemmas, and speculate about the futures of writing across the curriculum programs. Develops three arguments concerning these programs based on Therborn's theories. (HB)

Describes one English teacher's experience as he moved from 20 years of teaching on a military base to teaching college English at a two-year institution. (HB)

Describes the way one teacher connected young adult novels with poetry. Provides extensive suggestions for teachers interested in such connections. Includes a listing of possible titles to be connected. (HB)

Discusses a writing assignment in which students write biographies comprised of literary genres such as dialogues, poems, newspaper articles, obituaries, songs, and letters. (RS)