NEW TITLE REQUEST PROCEDURE

OBJECTIVES

Grade-level literature is selected to implement, enrich and support the educational program for the student. The department will provide literature for a wide range of abilities and in a variety of formats, with diversity of appeal, allowing for the presentation of many different points of view. To this end, principles are placed above personal outlook and reason above assumption in the selection of literature of the highest quality and appropriateness.In selecting fitting works, teachers should consider the following: How daunting does the text look on the page? How easy and natural is its language? How circuitous is its plot? Is it a text with multiple, subtlelayers of meaning? What prior knowledge must a reader bring to understand it?What is the Lexile range of the text? How does the text reflect the NYS Common Core Standards?

  1. Teachers who wish to order books for use in the classroom will submit the following information in a typed format for chairperson of the English department to review, who will distribute it to department members:

BOOK/PLAY TITLE

BOOK/PLAY AUTHOR

YEAR OF PUBLICATION/PUBLISHER

ISBN

GENRE

LEXILE READING RANGE

PROPOSED GRADE FOR USE

  • Explain why this work is appropriate for a particular grade level– how is it of an appropriate text complexity for the students? How does the work enrich and support the current curriculum and the needs of the users?

a. Give a brief plot summary of the work.

b. Does it contain potentially objectionable language? If so, explain, in detail,

referring to page numbers containing this language or quoting a small

sampling of such language. For what purpose is the language used?

c. Is any of the subject matter potentially objectionable? For example, does it contain

particularly graphic passages depicting violent acts or acts of a sexual nature?

Again, please explain fully.

  • Explicate why this work would be useful in the classroom.

Does it contain dominant literary devices/techniques? Explain.

Would the work serve as a tool to teach grammar? Why?

Are there stylistic aspects to the work that make itmeaningful? Explain.

Could the work be used to teach rhetorical devices? Explain.

Why is this work thematically appropriate? How does it relate to literature studied prior, literature studied at grade level, and literature students will study?

  1. The proposal, along with an attachment containing all department members’ names, will be distributed to each member of the department via interoffice mail.
  1. Each department member will be asked to review the proposal, to indicate what grade(s) he/she teaches, to offer comments on the proposal, and, most importantly, to indicate whether he/she is willing to commit to using the work within the next two years.
  1. After all department members have reviewed the proposal it will be returned to the chairperson who will keep the proposal and all of its comments in a binder.
  1. If at least three department members (the proposer and two others in the same or comparable grade level/course) are willing to commit to using the book within the next two years, 75 copies plus any available generic teaching material may be ordered. * Book/play orders are subject to budgetary constraints.
  • Please note that failure to demonstrate sufficient teachable content may mean that the request for a title will be denied for classroom use by the English department chairperson, but may be ordered for students to explore as part of an independent reading assignment.
  1. Please comment and continue circulating proposals in a timely fashion; all complete proposals must be submitted to the chairperson.
  1. It will be encouraged, though not mandatory, that teachers interested in ordering a new title collaborate prior to its use.

New Book Requested : ______

Proposed Grade Level : ____

Please rotate this sheet among all department members and return to

Eileen Abraham when completed.

If at least three department members (the proposer and two others in the same grade level) are willing to commit to using the book within the next two years, 75 copies plus any available generic teaching material may be ordered.