Teaching English in Middle and Secondary Schools, 5th edition
Published by Pearson (May 26, 2010) © 2011
- Rhoda S. Maxwell
- Mary Meiser
- Katherine S. McKnight
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- NEW! Includes Internet sources at the end of each chapter to make the material relevant and to give students additional resources for reflection.
- NEW! Poses reflective questions when appropriate in each chapter to prompt students to think about, and absorb key content.
- Provides lesson and unit curriculum examples–full lesson plans, classroom organization ideas, and instructional strategies–to manifest current English language arts theory and pedagogy.
- Offers a summative graphic organizer of the material in each chapter that shows readers clearly the differences and similarities between traditional and contemporary classroom classrooms.
- Provides a flexible approach that allows instructors to follow their own course structure and instructional design.
- Internet sources at the end of each chapter make the material relevant and give students additional resources for reflection.
- Reflective questions appear when appropriate in each chapter, prompting students to reflect on, and absorb key content.
- Web sites particularly useful for English teachers are included.
- New chapter on media literacy (Chapter 9).
- The order of the chapters has been revised to ensure a logical flow. For example:
o Chapter 1, Becoming a Teacher, is a combination of Chapters 1 and 2 from the previous edition, reorganized to welcome readers to the profession and to ask them to think about themselves and their teaching in specific ways. o Chapter 2, a revision of the previous Chapter 3, examines the curriculum and lesson planning design topics and introduces evaluation and assessment, which is further developed in a later chapter.
o The use of both oral and written language is addressed in Chapters 3 and 4. Chapter 3, Language: Teaching About Spelling, Grammar, Mechanics, and Vocabulary is a combination of Chapter 4 and 7 from the fourth edition. It offers techniques for the teaching of grammar, mechanics and vocabulary and is packed with rich examples. Chapter 4, Oral Language, the Forgotten Language Art, builds on the strong presentation of the previous edition, but also examines the use of improvisation.o The new Chapter 5, Teaching Writing, combines Chapters 6 and 7 from the fourth edition and digs deeply into process writing and how novice teachers can create an effective and challenging writing program for their students.
o Chapter 6, Writing and Evaluating Research Papers, focuses on appropriate methods for teaching research and research writing.o Chapter 12, Your Starting Role: Student Teaching and Beyond, takes readers through student teaching experiences, complete with actual material from former student teachers–emails, student teaching logs, and more. Included are scenarios and experiences that provide readers opportunities to explore problems they might face in the classroom.
o Additions to the literature chapters include strategies for conducting a good class discussion on literature, criteria for selecting “good” books for adolescent readers, student units, Web sites for teachers, and reflection activities. These chapters also emphasize multicultural literature and young adult literature, without neglecting the classics.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Becoming an English Teacher
Drawn to Teaching
What Makes an Effective English Teacher?
Understanding Adolescents
Adolescent Traits
Development Stages of Adolescents
Students at Risk
Varying Sources of Student Alienation
Motivating students to learn
What Teachers Can Do
Helping Students to Learn
Setting up the Classroom To Motivate Students
What do I do When I Don’t Have My Own Classroom
Building Classroom Communities
Chapter 2: The Theoretical and Pedagogical Foundations of Teaching English
A Philosophy Shaping What We Do and When We Do It
Developing Classroom Curriculum
From Goals to Outcomes
Textbooks, Trade Books, and Software
Developing Classroom Teaching Plans
Variables Within Our Grasp
Planning Well: Principles and Practice
Instructional Unit: “In Constant Search of Perfection: Benjamin Franklin”
Questions For the Benjamin Franklin Unit: Analysis and Decision-Making
Chapter 3: Language: Teaching About Spelling, Grammar, Mechanics, and Vocabulary
The Importance of Language Study
Language Characteristics
Acquiring Our Native Language
Acquiring English as a Second Language
Non-Native Speakers of English
Understanding ELL students’ errors
Recognizing and Working with “Smart Errors”
Errors and Grades
General Suggestions and Guidelines for Teaching English Language Learners in the English Language Arts Classroom
Classroom Language and English Language Learners
Grouping Students
Using Peer Partners
Ensuring Effective Learning
Providing experience with Written Language
Language Variation: American Dialects
Understanding Linguistic Diversity in Our Schools
Dialect, Identity, and Linguistic Competence
African American English
Native American Language
Hispanic English
Achievement Among Minority Students
Language, Culture, and Identity: Julie of the Wolves
What does a contemporary look like when students are learning about Literature?<</H2>
Chapter Four: Oral Language: The Neglected Language Arts
Basic Principles
Teacher Talk, Student Talk
Talk and Cultural Differences
Talk and Gender Equity
Listening: Not the Same as Hearing
Speaking: More than Just Talk
Improving Discussion Questions
Personal Response, Small Group, Large Group
Student Responsibility in Classroom Discussion
Talking About Literature
Building Class Cohesion through Stories
Instructional Unit
Instructional Unit
Speaking formally: Teaching “The” Speech
Informal Classroom Drama
Evaluating Oral Language Activities
The Contemporary English language classroom: Oral Language
Chapter 5: Teaching Writing
Background of Teaching Composition
Research on Writing
Writing Process
Stages in the Writing Process
Discovery Stage
Drafting Stage
Revising Stage
Editing Stage
Publishing Student Writing
Classroom Climate
The Teacher’s Role
Improving Writing Skills
Understanding and Improving Sentence Structure
Specific Areas to Address in Mini-Lessons
Understanding and Improving Punctuations
Commas
Quotation Marks
Apostrophes
Daily Oral Language
Improving Spelling and Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Writing For a Variety of Purposes
Types of Writing Assignments
Journal Writing
Personal Response Journals
Writing Short Stories
Round Robin Stories
Developing Characters
Story Strips
Personal Narratives and Writing Stories
Writing Poetry
Five Liners
Diamond shape Poem
Concrete poem
Preposition poem
Mood Poems
Found Poems
Bio poem
Terse verse
Exploring an Instructional Unit
Family Pressures
Writing in our Everyday Lives
Teaching Persuasion
Teaching Classifying
Lifelong Skills
The Contemporary English Classroom: Writing
Chapter 6: Writing and Evaluating Research Papers
Research Writing in the Context of Composition
A Method of Teaching Students How to Write Longer Papers
Preliminary Work
Selecting Topics
Prior Knowledge
Developing Questions
The I-Search Paper
Locating Sources
Evaluating Quality on the Net
The Internet as a Reference Source
Taking Notes on References
Guidelines for the Research Process
Developing Plans for Including Longer Papers
Instructional Unit
Research Skills/Debate
A Research Assignment for a Paper on Careers
A Process to Teaching the Importance of Sources
Creating a Research Assignment
Additional Resources for Teaching Research
The Contemporary English Classroom: Writing and Evaluating Research Papers
Chapter 7: Selecting Literature
Objectives For Teaching Literature
Canonical Literature
Balancing Literature Selections
Making Choices
Organizing Literature Study
Instructional Unit
Mexican Culture
Organizing Around A Theme
Reading Levels
Young Adult Literature
World Literature
Thematic Approach
Studying One Culture
Literature By Women
Multicultural Literature
Native American Literature
Hispanic Literature
African American Literature
Asian American Literature
Readers and Literature
Recommended Books By or About People Of Color
Selections for a Unit on Family Relationships
Selections for Coming of Age or Developing a Sense of Self
Selections for a Theme of Courage
Selections for a Unit Focusing on Women and Women Writers
Censorship
Stereotypes: The Root of Aggressive Behavior
The Contemporary English Classroom: Selecting Literature
Chapter 8: Teaching Literature
Reading Literature
Background of Literature Study
Focus of Literary Study
Reader Response Theory
Implementing the Response Theory
Using Factual Information
Writing Responses
Using Responses
Other Ways in Which to Respond to Literature
Literature circles
Comprehension
Formal Analyses
Prereading Activities
Reading Activities
Teaching Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
Small Group Work
Writing Assignments Given to Students
Teaching Short Stories
Short Stories Activities
Teaching Poetry
Activities for Teaching Poetry
Poetry Resources
Teaching Language in Literature Study
Vocabulary Study in Reading
Purposes
Words in Context
Testing Vocabulary
Sharing Books
Book Talks
Interest Grouping
Student Critiques
Reading in Class
The Contemporary English Classroom: Teaching Literature
Chapter 9: Media Literacy: Technology, Media, and the Language Arts
What is Media Literacy?
Forms of Media for Literacy Learning
Advertising
Magazines and Print Media
Movies
Music
Television
Videos and DVDs
Video Games
Creating Media Literacy
What’s a “Wiki” and How Can It Be Used in a Classroom?
What is a “Ning” and How Can I Use it in the Classroom?
What is a “Blog” and How Can I Use it in the Classroom?
Conclusion
The Contemporary English Classrooom: Media Literacy
Chapter 10: Evaluating English Language Arts
Evaluating English Language Arts
State and District Writing Assignments
Authentic Assessment
Purpose of Evaluation
Evaluating Literature
Constructing Tests
Writing Test Questions
Evaluating Writing
Evaluation by Levels
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Methods of Evaluation
Impression Grading
Holistic Grading
Analytic Scales
Rubrics
Self Evaluation
Evaluation of Oral Language
Evaluation of Units
Portfolio Evaluation
Content of Portfolios
Evaluating Portfolios
Biographies: Evaluating a Student Paper
The Future of Assessment
The Contemporary English Classroom: Teaching Literature
Chapter 11: Developing Units
Units as a Tool for Integrating the English Language Arts
Organizing Around a Theme
Beginning to Plan
Teaching and Learning in Groups
Including Writing Activities
Components of a Unit
Important Points to Remember
Units Developed Around One Major Literature Selection
Instructional Unit: Finding My Voice
Instructional Unit: To Kill A Mockingbird
Instructional Unit: The Scarlet Letter
Developing Writing Activities for More Than One Novel
Instructional Unit: Four-Week Literature Unit
A Literature Unit with Multigenres of Literature
Instructional Unit: Families in Literature
Selecting Books
Comprehensive Thematic Units
Instructional Unit: Heroes
Instructional Unit: Heroism
Reading List
Interdisciplinary Units
Instructional Unit: Tracing One’s Roots
Instructional Unit: Historical Homes
Instructional Unit: Literature of Conflict: Societal and Personal
Developing your own instructional unit
The Contemporary English Classroom: Unit Planning
Chapter 12: Your Starting Role: Student Teaching and Beyond
The Community, the School District, the School
You and Your Cooperating Teacher: The CT
You and Your University Supervisor
The School Universe
Your Colleagues
Changes, Planned and Otherwise
Temporary Chaos: Schedules
Just Chaos
Teachers Workloads
Daily Challenges
The Kids
Classroom Management
Curriculum and Instruction
Assigning Work
Planning for Absentees
The Extra-Curriculars
Working With Parents
Preparing For Conferences
Talking with Parents and Guardians
Sharing with Students
Making the Most of Student Teaching
Thoughts, Advice, and Support From a Vet
Final Thoughts
Katherine McKnight is an associate professor and associate department chair of secondary education at National-Louis University. She also serves as an onsite professional development consultant for the National Council of Teachers of English. She began her career as a literacy educator over 20 years ago and taught high school English for over ten years. Her recent books have focused on using improvisation in the classroom, teaching writing in grades 6-12, and teaching the classics in the inclusive classroom.
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