Tolkien is widely regarded as the most influential author on the fantasy genre… period. But one of the less-discussed aspects of his work is the way Tolkien used constructed language in his writing. Nowadays authors are constantly making...

In this video, the teacher explains how good readers read dialogue fluently. They emphasize the importance of using a talking voice, paying attention to tag words and clues, and reflecting on the character's emotions. The teacher...

Fiona Giles retired from the University of Sydney in 2020, where she taught and researched literary journalism, creative nonfiction and feminist theory relating to breastfeeding and maternal sexuality. After graduating from Oxford with a...

Like plants, stories often begin with small seeds of ideas and grow into beautiful flowers, full of rich details, exciting plot twists, and lovable characters. In this audio story, an author helps a young writer grow her story seed into...

J. Cynthia McDermott is a retired professor of education at Antioch University Los Angeles. She was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Sarajevo Faculty of Philosophy, Fulbright scholar at the University of Wroclaw Poland and...

Deafblind pioneer Helen Keller campaigned for a better America – with the help of a remarkable watch that she didn’t have to see to read.

Roland Barthes’ The Death of the Author is a seminal text in the development of literary theory. Often considered the moment when structuralism gave way to poststructuralism as the dominant approach to cultural analysis, in The Death of...

C.S. Lewis part 7 of 11: The video explores the childhood home of CS Lewis in Little Lee, east Belfast, where he first started writing and creating stories with his brother. It also touches on the tragic loss of their mother and how it...

In this video, the teacher guides students on how to introduce a text clearly before sharing their opinions about it. They discuss the importance of providing background information such as the title, author, and a brief summary to help...

Few writers have had the sheer staying power, popularity, and prolific output as Stephen King. From insatiably flesh-hungry clowns and sentient cars to telekinetic teenagers and mystical gunslingers, if there’s one author who has taken...

She was enslaved at birth – but became the first lady’s favorite dressmaker and the author of a sensational memoir that shocked the nation. So who was Elizabeth Keckly?

The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan ended World War II in 1945. At the time, Americans were happy the war was over and some people even wanted to drop more atomic bombs. This radio story describes how Americans’...

C.S. Lewis part 3 of 11: This video explores the childhood and upbringing of CS Lewis in East Belfast, highlighting how his surroundings and imagination influenced his literary works, particularly the Chronicles of Narnia. It also...

Othello, the timeless battle of good versus evil. The sinister Iago is pitted against Othello, a man of honor. Iago is passed over for a promotion by Othello. This video is part 2 of the series 'Understanding Shakespeare: Othello'.

In this video, the teacher explains the importance of including a list of sources in a research essay. They demonstrate how to compile a list of sources by reviewing their notes and organizing them in alphabetical order using the...

This video is an example of how a student mystery challenge prompt could be. This video is done with Screencastify and shows a screen recording instead of a webcam video. This is just ONE example of how the video prompt could look. This...

Every author has a toolkit of techniques – they use these tools to build meaning and share important ideas. In this video, we’ll teach you how to break down a range of texts. You’ll learn how to identify techniques in poems and...

Can an unreliable narrator help readers see the world through multiple lenses?

C.S. Lewis part 1 of 11: This video explores the inspiration behind CS Lewis's beloved children's series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Through interviews with Lewis's stepson and visits to locations in Northern Ireland, viewers will gain...

Correction: At 1:49, we accidentally said that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was published in 1918, when it was published in 1818. We regret the error -- thanks to Stephen Pershing for catching this! Stories, tales, and myths from all...

Romeo and Juliet is based on the long-standing hatred between two families, it is a tale of star-crossed lovers that is perhaps the greatest tragic love story in English literature. The scene is set. This video is part 2 of the series...

Latina author María Ruiz de Burton raised the plight of Mexicans in America with two satirical and revealing books at a time when female authors were few and far between.

Bayes Theorem and some of the mysteries it has solved

Event: September 1962. Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring is published and word of how industrial chemicals harm nature begins to spread. Story: Rachel Carson is an author, scientist and environmentalist. Her books were praised as both...