Exploring and Teaching the English Language Arts

I used and read this book as part of a class I had on the methods of teaching English. I've read a lot of textbooks in my post-high school educational experience and usually they are pretty dry, dull, and boring. Not so with this book. Perhaps it was because the subject matter is so closely related to what I am currently pursuing as a career (an English teacher) or perhaps it's because the book was written by a couple of English teachers so they knew all the textbook pitfalls to avoid. I don't know. Whatever the case, this is one of a very few textbooks that I have read completely through that really didn't bore me. There are hundreds of useful tips and ideas and stories about actual teacher's experiences. The book is grounded in theory and research, but once again, unlike other textbooks I have read, it doesn't seem like that. The book seems more grounded in actual practice than it does theory. The book talks about such things as a brief history of teaching English, how to create an integrated curriculum, what's needed to create a unit plan, fostering classroom community, young adult literature, using writing in the class, how to incorporate theatre and mass media into the classroom environment, and assessment. My only complaints about the book is that it discusses assessment last (assessment should be discussed much earlier) and the book doesn't talk very much about classroom management. Overall, I think this is a great book for anyone who is thinking about teaching English or is preparing to student teach in a high school English classroom.

Excellent. I can't say enough about this text. Tons ofpractical ideas that will doubtlessly help me a great deal when Iteach my own class for the first time. The entire book is based in reader response theories and cultural theories of reading and writing, and there are entire chapters on such practical ideas of using drama, film, and more in classrooms.

This is a truly fantastic book--loads of practical ideas, grounded in just enough reader response and social construction theory to provide important context and rationales for activities. I am using the new edition in my methods courses for future English teachers, and it's even better than the previous edition I'd used in years past (something I didn't think was possible!), with updated literary references, activities using technology, and a new section on classroom talk. Extensive sections on teaching literature and writing, along with chapters on drama, assessment, unit planning, etc. make it an ideal text for a methods course as well as an excellent resource for experienced teachers who are looking for better ways to engage their students with English studies. Student response has been overwhelmingly positive, both during the classes and when they refer back to it once they're teaching. Highly recommended.