Annotated Table of Contents, Chapters 13 - 17

Chapter 13. Writing Across the Curriculum: How can English teachers and teachers of other subjects work together in teaching writing? I did not address the issue of writing in the content areas when I was language arts supervisor, K-12, because I felt that content teachers would have trouble dealing with the amount of time required to mark student papers. That view was shortsighted. I now believe that I could have developed a consensus in the English department concerning the nature of the writing process, the use of writing as a method of learning, the structure of expository writing, a scale to evaluate student writing and procedures for teaching the research paper and the essay exam that we could have shared with the rest of the faculty. I now believe that cooperation between English teachers and the rest of the faculty in supporting the teaching of writing was and is possible. Here’s how.


Chapter 14. Professional Writing: What can teachers of writing learn from trying to publish professionally? If your experience is like mine, you will learn humility. You will learn what it feels like to be rejected. You will gain a better understanding of the writing process. You will feel empathy for your writing students. You will become a sufferer along with your students in learning how to write. In short, you will learn to write all over again.


Chapter 15. Spelling: In the age of computers, is spelling still a worthwhile subject in the English curriculum? “I’ll never use a word [in writing] I don’t know how to spell,” the Syracuse University junior stated candidly.
“Bad idea,” I responded. “Your writing vocabulary will be slim to none. You won’t be able to deliver your ideas with flair. You won’t use that rich vocabulary you’ve developed over the years. Your sentences could sound like those in the Dick and Jane Readers.” In this chapter, I propose a complete, confidence-building spelling program that will be supplemented by “invented spelling” and computerized spelling checkers.

Chapter 16. Speaking: How can teachers help students overcome their fear of speaking in public? Over the years I have learned a great deal about how to speak effectively before an audience. Public speaking has always been a stressful experience for me. I used to worry about my speech for hours before giving it, often not even eating because of my anxiety, and would replay the speech in my mind for hours afterward, assessing the strengths and problems of my performance. I have found that certain methods helped give me confidence in speaking. My goal in working with students in speaking is to help them overcome their fear of addressing an audience, of participating in small groups and of engaging in important interviews like those for employment.

Part Four: Reading
Chapter 17. Speed Reading: Is speed reading a myth? I have trained people in speed reading a number of times. In approximately forty-five minutes, I can confidently predict that readers without reading problems will double, triple, or even quadruple their reading speed. I have concluded that probably this training is worthwhile. However I would use the technique as only one small part of a course in reading efficiency.