English Journal - Volume 104, Issue 1, 2014

The guest editors introduce this sports-themed issue.

“Speaking My Mind” invites readers to speak out about controversial issues relevant to the teaching of English language arts.

“Speaking My Mind” invites readers to speak out about controversial issues relevant to the teaching of English language arts.

One teacher has realized that students do their best work when writing about topics that matter most to them; sports is one of those topics.

The author describes a successful yearlong course, The Games People Play: Sports in Society and Literature, that engages students in a variety of interdisciplinary learning opportunities.

Writing assignments focused on sports controversies provide students with opportunities to read, write, research, and debate in ways that feel authentic and meaningful.

Sports documentaries capture student interest and provide opportunities for activities and assignments that connect to popular culture, develop ELA literacies, and meet Common Core State Standards.

Using Joseph Campbell’s notions of archetypes and the hero’s journey, students can examine current sports stories to help them understand modern society and myth creation.

A popular one-semester elective, Sports Stories relies on student knowledge of and interest in sports to teach critical media literacy and rhetorical analysis.

The poetry of three prominent contemporary authors provides students with opportunities to practice literary interpretation from a variety of perspectives.

Using the Identity Formation Model, the author examines the representation of lesbian athletes in young adult literature and suggests that students benefit from reading about characters with a range of sexual and gender identities.

An English teacher and competitive runner explains the parallels that exist between academic and athletic performance and provides activities to improve student writing.

Students—and athletes—can benefit from writing activities that take place outside the classroom walls; these activities often lead to better thinking, writing, and performance.

“Speaking Truth to Power” seeks to explore the experiences and possibilities that arise when educators speak Truth to power.

“Lingua Anglia: Bridging Language and Learners” discusses critical, transformative, and powerful ways to support students’ acquisition of Standard English.

This column hopes to serve as a space dedicated to conversation about Young Adult Literature and to celebrate adolescents, their reading, and their experiences by reviewing the texts that engage them.