Talking Points - Volume 15, Issue 1, 2003

Allen Koshewa interviews Steve Hanamura regarding his view of tolerance and his ideas about the impact of diversity education on literacy.

Many teachers shy away from frank discussions about the gay and lesbian identity of well-known authors, and in so doing, unconsciously perpetuate assumptions and stereotypes.

Donna Beegle speaks from both personal and professional points of view as she presents her research on college graduates who come from generational poverty. She discusses the barriers to education faced by students from poverty backgrounds and suggests some strategies that teachers can use to help reach these students.

By taking his students bowling, Michael Muise teaches them the importance of strong and substantive peer critique when revising one’s writing.

This short essay presents a brief literary portrait of the author’s family and one of her students.

A review of the book Rethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson, which examines social issues with global implications and discusses ways to present these topics in the classroom.

Kathy Egawa presents an overview of the NCTE Reading Initiative, a professional development program for teachers that is based on study groups. Instead of presenting a blueprint for how to operate, the Reading Initiative experiences and materials give study group members a series of engagements and professional readings that can be tailored in response to local issues.

WLU President Amy Seely Flint updates members on the events of the organization and discusses its financial needs. The Executive Board’s strategic plan for WLU is also presented here.

The editors discuss the articles in this issue, which aims to help educators better identify social and cultural influences that shape identity and that help or hinder communication.