English Journal - Volume 100, Issue 1, 2010

Members of the Secondary Section Steering Committee comment on topics of importance to English language arts educators.

The well-known author and critic offers seven easy ways to kill student motivation, followed by concrete suggestions to ensure that you don’t employ them in your classroom.

“Student Voices” provides a forum for students to share their experiences and recommendations.

Punishment and reward schemes don’t foster motivation in students; instead, Daniels recommends active learning and stress management.

Focusing on the design of effective group work, the authors examine how students are best engaged in activities and what teachers’ roles should be in fostering active student learning.

A Japanese film on environmental themes inspires students to produce their own videos.

Students write and produce films in collaboration with the Austin Film Festival.

In the Rural Voices project, students produce podcasts about their lives for real audiences.

The authors describe technology-infused classroom activities inspired by a concept from hip-hop culture.

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible dramatizes a restrictive society, but Simmons and Page use the play to promote the power of curricular freedom for students.

Using multimedia and other activities, Day inspires student interest in a John Steinbeck classic.

Guest speakers, multimedia, and other strategies can increase students’ reading interest.

Participating intelligently in discussions centered on a common text is not a natural skill. Richardson’s suggestions can help young secondary students develop this ability.

Are you bored by low-level, time-consuming traditional reading quizzes?

The authors demonstrate how engaging visually attuned students in close examination of fine art can improve students’ close reading skills, too.

Metacognition and visual thinking are highlights in this approach to vocabulary.