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 theprocedures 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.

Thomas M. McCannis a professor of English at Northern Illinois University, where he contributes to the teacher licensure program. His books includeTransforming Talk into Text,Raise Your Voices: Inquiry, Discussion, and Literacy Learning (Rowman& Littlefield), andTeaching on Solid Ground, with John V. Knapp.

John V. Knapp is emeritus Professor of English at Northern Illinois University, and, continuing since 2007, has served as the editor of the literary journal,Style. Knapp is the author and/or editor of several other books, including Striking at the Joints: Contemporary Psychology and Literary Criticism ; Learning from Scant Beginnings: English Professor Expertise; and Editor,Critical Insights: Family.

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1. Dont Go There

Chapter 2. Why Do We Have to Read This?

Chapter 3. Preparing for the Literature Experience

Chapter 4. Noticing and Making Meaning

Chapter 5. Modeling, Sharing, and Practicing

Chapter 6. Seeing Patterns and Structures and Making Complex Inferences

Chapter 7. Considering Competing Critical Views

Chapter 8. Responding to Literature

Chapter 9. Expanding Conceptions of Literary Texts

Appendix. Gary Sotos Like Mexicans

References