Teaching English in Middle and Secondary Schools

Pre-service and new teachers alike will appreciate this comprehensive, realistic view of what it is like to teach English language arts in grades 6 through 12. Through thoughtful integration of practical approaches to both curriculum and instruction, the book addresses the questions and concerns that those new to the profession encounter. The book stresses the constructivist approach and emphasizes reflective practice, and it asks readers to interact with the ideas presented-to affirm, question, and challenge those ideas. Included are numerous actual sample lessons plus classroom ideas with reflective questions that show readers how theory and research relate to practice. New Internet sources, summative graphic organizers of the material, and a flexible approach make this an ideal teaching tool for teachers of middle and secondary school students.

Here's what makes this new fifth edition unique:

Internet sources and the end of some chapters 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).

Chapter 4, Oral Language, continues to build on the strong presentation of the previous edition, but now examines the use of improvisation.

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 give readers opportunities to explore problems they might face in the classroom.

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.

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.