Teaching English: Theory and Practice from Kindergarten to Grade 12

Koos A. de Beer is an ESL instructor in Vancouver, B.C.

Teaching English is an insightful book about teaching the joys of
reading and writing poetry and fiction to children. The main premise of
Gutteridge’s work is that children need to be taught to approach
poetry and fiction aesthetically. For Gutteridge aesthetics takes
precedence over analysis.

The book consists of five chapters, beginning with a general
introduction to the process of reading, continuing with teaching tips on
aesthetic reading of poetry and fiction, and concluding with writing
theory and practice. Along with providing a thorough description of what
constitutes aesthetic reading, Gutteridge includes useful sample lessons
for various grades so that a teacher can gain a better understanding of
how to implement his theories. This book offers teachers of English
fresh insights into how to get children involved in their reading of
poetry and fiction while still meeting curricular demands of the
educational system.