Professional Organizations
for English Teachers

The professional association for English teachers is the National Council for the Teachers of English . You can join the organization electronically at their web site. From this site you can order NCTE books and publications, find resources, and join any one of several list serves for English teachers, such as NCTE-Net.

The professional organization for English and Foreign Language professors is the Modern Language Association. Their page has information about conventions, publications, jobs, and how to use the MLA style conventions. 

The International Reading Association has resources for teachers of reading.

The National Writing Project, one of the most important iniatives for the professional development of English teachers. 

Teachers interested in theater or drama will like the Educational Theater Association.

Teachers interested in journalism will want to visit the Journalism Education Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

Teachers with a penchant for speech, drama and forensics may want to try the National Communication Association or the National Forensics League.

Teachers with responsibility for yearbooks may find help at Steve Ferguson's Yearbook Advisor website. Very exciting possibilities are now available for publishing yearbooks on CD ROM's, check out the Yearbook Interactive software.

If you are concerned about censorship check out the American Library Association, the NCTE on censorship, or check out Ellen Brinkley's new book Caught Off Guard: Teachers Rethinking the Censorship Controversy available at the Allyn and Bacon website.

Leading research in the teaching of English language arts is done at the National Research Center on English Language and Achievement, CELA, and many of their reports are available on line.

Rethinking Schools: one of my favorite teacher publication and organization. You can access useful articles from a progressive educational perspective. 

Gay/Lesbian/Straight Teacher Network, GLSEN, national web site. Phone numbers for local chapters are listed (Kalamazoo included). 

Teaching Tolerance, a publication of the Southern Poverty Law Center. 

National Education Association has a rich web page for teachers.  

The National Middle School Association is a group for middle school and aspiring middle school teachers.

Michigan Organizations

The professional organization for English teachers in Michigan is the Michigan Council for the Teaching of English. Their site includes information on membership and upcoming conferences.