facebook pixel

Â¥·ïÌìÌÃ

Back to Blog
English Journal cover, Vol. 107 No. 2, November 2017, theme 'Death in the English Classroom' — quilled-paper illustration 'Psychopomp' by Karen Mullins (©2017) of an elaborate golden hourglass with deep-purple sand inscribed 'Omnes Vulnerant, Ultima Necat,' encircled by paper-quilled vines, a melting candle, and a small skull at the lower base; feature list includes Carol Aten Frow and Miranda Rae Filak on 'Give Sorrow Words,' Lisa Beckelhimer's teacher experience, Genée Ciurus Major on 'Everything's Jake,' Eric Ekholm on ethical concerns of using texts involving death in ELA, Dan Bruno on celebrating the heart of life, Tracy Tensen on capital punishment with one-to-one technology, Lori D. Ungemah on a unit studying death, and Tom Liam Lynch on Mr. Browne's final lesson on infinity (Wonder)

Taking English Journal into the Classroom

Whether you are an elementary language arts teacher or a literature professor, Â¥·ïÌìÌà has a peer-reviewed journal for you, with content reflecting current research, trends, and strategies. Our 10 professional journals are available in paper and online, along with an extensive archive of past issues.

Subscribers have access to all the articles in their journal, from present day articles to those in the digital archive. But did you know that in each issue, several articles are made free to everyone? One of those free articles, “” comes from the “Death in the English Classroom” themed issue of .

In this issue, authors share the agony and beauty of death in the lives of their classrooms. They open their hearts and disclose the scars of loss—scars related to deaths in their own families and the families of their students, as well as the wound of an empty student desk. Articles also examine how death in texts can offer insights that build relationships, enhance curriculum, and strengthen literacies by engaging with authentic questions. This  focuses on the death of the author’s sister, the discussion and project that it inspired, and the many essays that emanated from the experience.

How can you transfer this idea to your classroom? Try this idea from !

In , students write autobiographies, illustrate them, and set them to music. Music is a powerful tool to evoke emotion, and students will carefully select songs to accompany the stories from their lives. Students brainstorm lists of important events in their lives, along with images and music that represent those events. They then create storyboards in preparation for the final multimedia project. After making revisions, they present their final projects to their peers in class.

See also  Texts Most Frequently Taught in US Secondary Classrooms Are Nearly Identical to List from Decades Ago

How could you make this idea work in your classroom?