“Provoking Emotion for Growth in English Language Arts,” Steve Lafer

The session will engage participants in a discussion of emotion provoking topics and in writing exercises designed to move students from feeling to expression of feeling and the adjustment of text and speech to adequately convey the emotion behind the discourse. A discussion of the place of emotion in the classroom, the place of teacher emotions in the classroom, and means for encouraging the emotional involvement of students in reading, speaking, listening, and writing will be facilitated and include dramatic readings of literary works, consideration of the controversial and emotion raising aspects of stories appearing in newspapers, magazines, on television, radio, and in film. We will consider how regular exposure to such materials and activities aid in emotional growth and the development of critical language arts skills.