Teaching Literature Rhetorically
English language arts teachers often find themselves defending their discipline and the practical values it has. When will I read this again? is an all too common question heard in classrooms. Author Jennifer Fletcher faced the same questions and more. In Teaching Literature Rhetorically: Transferable Literacy Skills for 21st Century Students she shows you how to help your students develop transferable literacy skills that allow them to succeed not just in their English language arts classes, but in their future lives and careers. The book is built around eight high-utility literacy skills and practices that will help students communicate effectively and with confidence as they navigate important transitions in their lives:
Integrating skills and knowledge from texts Reading closely and critically Assessing rhetorical situations Negotiating different perspectives Developing and supporting a line of reasoning Analyzing genres Communicating with self and others in mind Reading and writing with passion
Teaching Literature Rhetorically offers readers writing prompts, readings, discussion questions, graphic organizers, as well as examples of student work and activities for helping students to understand key rhetorical concepts. As Fletcher writes in her introduction rhetorical thinking promotes the transfer of learning — the single most important goal we can have as teachers if we hope to have a positive impact on our students’ lives. This book will help teachers everywhere do just that.
Jennifer Fletcher is a professor of English at California State University, Monterey Bay. Before joining the faculty at CSUMB, she taught high school English for more than ten years in Southern California. She is the author of Teaching Arguments: Rhetorical Comprehension, Critique, and Response (2015, Stenhouse).