In Teaching Matters Most, Thomas McCann, Alan C. Jones, and Gail Aronoff make the case that the single most important factor in continuous school improvement is the quality of instruction in schools. Unlike other books that stop at evaluating teachers and instruction, these authors argue that school leaders must work to grow the instructional capacities within their schools. To meet this goal, they offer school leaders a three-step process that involves:(1) envisioning what good teaching looks like (2) measuring the quality of current instruction against this standard, and (3) working relentlessly to move the quality of instruction closer and closer to the ideal.

To be successful, teachers of English in grades 6-12 need more than basic content knowledge and classroom management skills. They need a deep understanding of the goals and principles of teaching literature, writing, oral discourse, and language in order to make sound instructional decisions. This engaging book explores the pedagogical foundations of the discipline and gives novice and future teachers specific guidance for creating effective, interesting learning experiences. The authors consider such questions as what makes a literary text worth studying, what students gain from literary analysis, how to make writing meaningful, and how to weave listening and speaking into every class meeting. Professional learning and course use are facilitated by end-of-chapter reflection questions, text boxes, and appendices showcasing exemplary learning activities.

To be successful, teachers of English in grades 6-12 need more than basic content knowledge and classroom management skills. They need a deep understanding of the goals and principles of teaching literature, writing, oral discourse, and language in order to make sound instructional decisions. This engaging book explores the pedagogical foundations of the discipline and gives novice and future teachers specific guidance for creating effective, interesting learning experiences. The authors consider such questions as what makes a literary text worth studying, what students gain from literary analysis, how to make writing meaningful, and how to weave listening and speaking into every class meeting. Professional learning and course use are facilitated by end-of-chapter reflection questions, text boxes, and appendices showcasing exemplary learning activities.

Inquiry Units for English Language Arts is an engaging and relevant collection of instructional units that delve into contemporary problems related to equity, justice, identity, freedom, and social reform. Designed by practicing classroom teachers, these units integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening as modes of investigation in the Language Arts classroom. Each chapter provides specific guidance in planning, initiating, managing, and assessing a unit's line of inquiry to ensure that students' academic, social, and emotional growth are central to the classroom experience. The units in this book illustrate how guided inquiry prioritizes inductive learning by framing problems that require students to work collaboratively as they develop the critical thinking skills necessary to be active participants in a democracy.

In looking for an approach to teaching literature in high school, teachers largely fall back on the methods that they had experienced as students. These practices often involve a teacher assigning a complex work of literature and then assessing students' reading through in-class recitations or quizzes. Teachers typically dominate the discourse and sometimes take charge of the task by reading aloud whole swathes of texts to their students. We know from our own experience as teachers, supervisors of teachers and student teachers, and researchers in the field that students are often bored with these approaches and teachers are frequently frustrated with learners' unenthusiastic responses to the teachers' favorite works of literature. There has to be a better way. This book offers approaches to engage students in productive procedures for reading complex texts and provides sample activities to allow learners to practice those procedures.

In looking for an approach to teaching literature in high school, teachers largely fall back on the methods that they had experienced as students. These practices often involve a teacher assigning a complex work of literature and then assessing students' reading through in-class recitations or quizzes. Teachers typically dominate the discourse and sometimes take charge of the task by reading aloud whole swathes of texts to their students. We know from our own experience as teachers, supervisors of teachers and student teachers, and researchers in the field that students are often bored with these approaches and teachers are frequently frustrated with learners' unenthusiastic responses to the teachers' favorite works of literature. There has to be a better way. This book offers approaches to engage students in productive procedures for reading complex texts and provides sample activities to allow learners to practice those procedures.

Students will not become enthusiastic readers of literature from a teacher simply assigning reading tasks and assessing the completion of the tasks, especially when the assessment takes the form of threatened quizzes. Instead, as this book shows, teachers have an obligation to reveal to learners the procedures that skilled readers follow as they work with and enjoy literature and a further obligation to help learners to recognize some value in tackling complex works of literature.

Students will not become enthusiastic readers of literature from a teacher simply assigning reading tasks and assessing the completion of the tasks, especially when the assessment takes the form of threatened quizzes. Instead, as this book shows, teachers have an obligation to reveal to learners the procedures that skilled readers follow as they work with and enjoy literature and a further obligation to help learners to recognize some value in tackling complex works of literature.

Inquiry Paths to Literacy Learning, a collection of chapters from secondary teachers and university researchers, offers English language arts teachers several models and considerations for how to design and implement inquiry-based teaching and learning. As the contributors demonstrate, an inquiry approach can significantly boost student achievement, understanding, and transfer of learning. The chapters in this collection present classroom-tested approaches, activities, and assignments that teachers can use right away, but that also serve as models for designing learning experiences that most engage and benefit learners. Focusing on issues that adolescents find consequential, the sample learning activities promote the development of complex literacy skills, engage students in evidence-based reasoning, and foster an environment of cooperation, collaboration, and respect for different points of view. Together, the contributions in this book envision the English language arts classroom as a supportive environment for authentic inquiry and for the genuine democratic processes involved in grappling together with tough perennial and contemporary issues.

Inquiry Paths to Literacy Learning, a collection of chapters from secondary teachers and university researchers, offers English language arts teachers several models and considerations for how to design and implement inquiry-based teaching and learning. As the contributors demonstrate, an inquiry approach can significantly boost student achievement, understanding, and transfer of learning. The chapters in this collection present classroom-tested approaches, activities, and assignments that teachers can use right away, but that also serve as models for designing learning experiences that most engage and benefit learners. Focusing on issues that adolescents find consequential, the sample learning activities promote the development of complex literacy skills, engage students in evidence-based reasoning, and foster an environment of cooperation, collaboration, and respect for different points of view. Together, the contributions in this book envision the English language arts classroom as a supportive environment for authentic inquiry and for the genuine democratic processes involved in grappling together with tough perennial and contemporary issues.

In a collection of chapters from high school teachers and university researchers, Raise Your Voices offers English language arts teachers "one-stop shopping" to learn how to foster dialogic classrooms and how to prompt, sustain, connect, and assess classroom discussions, especially discussions about issues that adolescents find consequential. The chapters explore both the basics for facilitating discussion to support literacy learning and the principles for assessing the progress and effect of discussion and for including all students in lively dialogue. Taken together, the entries in this book envision the English language arts classroom as a supportive environment for authentic inquiry and for the genuine democratic processes involved in grappling together with tough perennial and contemporary issues.

In a collection of chapters from high school teachers and university researchers, Raise Your Voices offers English language arts teachers "one-stop shopping" to learn how to foster dialogic classrooms and how to prompt, sustain, connect, and assess classroom discussions, especially discussions about issues that adolescents find consequential. The chapters explore both the basics for facilitating discussion to support literacy learning and the principles for assessing the progress and effect of discussion and for including all students in lively dialogue. Taken together, the entries in this book envision the English language arts classroom as a supportive environment for authentic inquiry and for the genuine democratic processes involved in grappling together with tough perennial and contemporary issues.

Inquiry Units for English Language Arts is an engaging and relevant collection of instructional units that delve into contemporary problems related to equity, justice, identity, freedom, and social reform. Designed by practicing classroom teachers, these units integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening as modes of investigation in the Language Arts classroom. Each chapter provides specific guidance in planning, initiating, managing, and assessing a unit's line of inquiry to ensure that students' academic, social, and emotional growth are central to the classroom experience. The units in this book illustrate how guided inquiry prioritizes inductive learning by framing problems that require students to work collaboratively as they develop the critical thinking skills necessary to be active participants in a democracy.

Author Thomas McCann invites readers to rethink their approach to teaching writing by capitalizing on students' instinctive desire to talk. Drawing on extensive classroom research, he shows teachers how to craft class discussions that build students' skills of analysis, problem-solving, and argumentation as a means of improving student writing. McCann demonstrates how authentic discussions immerse learners in practices that become important when they write. Chapters feature portraits of teachers at work, including transcripts that reveal patterns of talk across a set of lessons. Interviews with the teachers and samples of student writing afford readers a deeper understanding of process. Students also report on how classroom discussions supported their effort to produce persuasive, argument-driven essays.