Topic: Assessment of Literature Study

10-second review: Problem—students were failing standard pencil/paper tests the teacher was using for the literary works they were studying. “I lacked assessments that matched the level of reading and interaction that we had enjoyed.” Solution? Brown-bag tests.

Title: “The Brown Bag Exam: What Does Assessment Have to Do with Lunch?” DM Ousley. English Journal (July 2008), 113-15. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary: Four steps.

1. Each student or pairs of students given a brown bag with surprise artifacts related to the novel they have just read. Brainstorm connections between the artifact and the novel.

2. In threes, students share artifacts and connections to the novel with each other.

3. Find two passages from the novel that relate to the artifacts.

4. Students pick one artifact and explain the novel's effect on their experience and learning.

Comment: Do it yourself before trying with students. Should be fun finding the artifacts related to the novel. Probably better if the students find the artifacts. Causes students to discuss the significant ideas or scenes of the novel and relates them to their own experiences. Involves students actively in discussing the novel. Worth a try. May need to adapt the technique. Quite a few artifacts needed if one or two or three for every student in the class—unless the students find the artifacts. RayS.

Topic: Newspapers

Comment: Circulation continues to go down. The Philadelphia Inquirer has filed for bankruptcy. Other newspapers, including the New York Times, are also in trouble. Long successful newspapers are failing. Why? Why have people stopped reading newspapers?

I think one reason is that newspapers rarely use the old-fashioned lead with “who? what? where? when? why? and how?” Reporters begin with true-life stories, the technique I was taught to use in writing compositions in school. That approach might be all right for feature stories, but not for news stories. The human interest stories only postpone the information I want to know. I keep looking for that information and, when it comes in pieces throughout the news article, I give up and quit. (By the way, the most discouraging words a TV reporter can use in responding to the anchor’s lead is to say, “I’ll get to that in a moment.”)

The traditional newspaper lead told all I wanted to know about the essence of the story and then I was free to read for any details about which I was curious. Contrary to what most people think, the Internet will not take its place. The headlines on the Internet don’t tell me enough—just enough to suggest that the story has, or has no, real interest for me. Most headlines do not make me curious enough about the story to make me want to read it. Ironically. the lead gave me enough information to make me want to read further. I say, bring back the lead to newspaper writing. And the readers will follow.

Why are people no longer reading newspapers? What do my readers think? RayS.

Topic: Writing Assignments

10-second review: Complete the writing assignments you give to your students.

Title: “Keeping It New.” TJ Hunt and B Hunt. English Journal (July 2008), 108-112. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary/Quote: “I have also enjoyed one of the practices I learned best from my experience in the National Writing Project: Writing assignments with students. I have learned more about myself and the nature of my assignments (their particular nuances and challenges, for example) and students appreciate the empathy and enjoy when I share in their vulnerability as writers.” p. 112.

Comments: I’ve read some criticism of this practice—that teachers are simply showing off how well they write, making students feel even less confident. Frankly, I think it’s a good idea, for the reason the authors give: the teacher will learn how the assignment looks to the students and the possible problems with the assignment that the teacher might not have realized.

But to become really vulnerable as a writer, teachers should try to write for publication. And share their experiences with their students. RayS.

Topic: Critical Thinking

10-second review: Turn whatever you are reading with the students into an issue and have the students discuss both (or more) sides of the issue.

Title: “Authentic Literacy and Students Achievement.” R. Van DeWeighe. English Journal (July 2008), 105-108. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary/Quote: “Schmoker [‘Radically Redefining Literacy Instruction: An Immense Opportunity,’ Phi Delta Kappan, 88.7: 488-93] would have us imagine a classroom where students spend their time reading, writing and discussing different points of view—about literary texts, social problems, scientific phenomena, ethical challenges, legal rulings, political issues, and the like.” p. 108.

Comment: In short, critical thinking. The challenge for me, the teacher, will be in finding and defining issues that have two or more perspectives in the literary works that I normally use with the class. It begins with the reading, followed by discussion and concludes in writing. The key will be how the students and I express the issue to invite the discussion. Maybe one of my standard questions should be, “What is the issue here?” For example, maybe the issue in reading Pride and Prejudice could be the role of women in society or the role of class in British and American society. In addition to the topics of “pride” and “prejudice.” RayS.

Topic: Re-reading and Discussion

10-second review: After students read a novel or short story, teacher has them re-read difficult passages.

Title: “You Want Me to Teach Reading? Confessions of a Secondary Literature Teacher.” P Monahan. English Journal (July 2008), 98-104. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary: Sometimes the teacher picks the passage for re-reading, sometimes the students pick it. What makes it difficult to read? The class summarizes it after discussion. They write in their journals how it relates to their personal lives. They discuss it again. “Perhaps the most interesting outcome of the process I am describing is that discussions that follow the re-reading activity are more detailed and provocative than the discussions I once had without the re-reading activity.” p. 103.

Comment: For me, the challenge in this activity is trying to determine what makes the passage difficult to read and to work with the students to develop a strategy to overcome the difficulty. RayS.

Topic: Ethnography As a Writing Assignment

10-second review: Students pick a “culture,” ask a question about behavior typical of that culture and try to answer the question.

Title: “Teaching Ethnography: Reading the Word and Developing Student Agency.” J Arias. English Journal (July 2008), 92-97. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary: Technically, the author’s use of the term ethnography (see definitions of ethnography on the Internet) is not the same as engaged in by research ethnographers. The “culture” the students choose is a familiar one—high school dances, sports events, dating rituals, etc. One student studied two classes, one taught by a male teacher, the other by a female teacher, to see if girls participated more in one class or the other. Another compared her experiences in two different churches. The key, after selecting a “culture,” is the question they want to answer.

Comment: A challenging assignment for the teacher to prepare and for the students to carry out. It is an assignment, however, in which the writing is authentic. Real writing for real purposes. The students should at least look at the format for published ethnographies to see how to organize their report of the study. RayS.

Topic: Reading as Models for Writing

10-second review: Three purposes for reading in class, including models for writing.

Title: “Long-Term English Learners Writing Their Stories.” LL Jacobs. English Journal (July 2008), 87-91. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary/Quote: “During the school year, the English for Academic Success class read a variety of texts, some intended to provoke authentic discussion, others to model styles of writing, and still others to consider the values of a variety of cultures.” p. 88.

Comment: One factor to consider when choosing a work to be read in class is how it will be used. You might at times use the text for all three of these purposes: for discussion, to understand other cultures and as a model for students to apply in writing. RayS.