More than 50 percent of the words we use today are derived from Latin. Students who want to increase their “word power” in English can do so either by studying Latin in a traditional way or by learning some basic root words, prefixes, and suffixes. Joan Jahnige, KET’s former distance learning Latin II teacher, designed this six-part series to help high school students improve vocabulary decoding skills by learning some of those basic Latin roots.

*Though designed for high school students looking toward college entrance tests, this series will also be valuable enrichment for advanced middle school students.

KY Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Technology: Information, Communication and Productivity High School; Research, Inquiry/Problem-Solving and Innovation
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

This series for high school, college, and adult learners introduces basic principles and strategies for communicating in writing to a variety of audiences and for improving general composition skills. A wide array of professionals whose work involves writing—not only authors, journalists, and teachers, but also musicians, judges, nurses, engineers, scientists, and athletes—discuss how they write with their specific audiences in mind.

Even-numbered programs in the series focus on thinking and writing strategies; odd-numbered programs cover the writing process and mechanics.

English Composition is from the Annenberg/CPB Collection.

Program of Studies
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Developing an Initial Understanding, Interpreting Text, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Technology: Research, Inquiry, Problem-solving/Innovation Information, Communication and Productivity
Writing: Writing Content, Writing Structure, Writing Conventions, Writing Process
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

Kentucky author George Ella Lyon leads a group of adult workshop participants through exercises designed to spark creativity and provide ideas for writing. Each program focuses on a specific form of writing, from poetry to the personal narrative.

Lyon is the author of the novel With a Hammer for My Heart as well as Come a Tide and other children’s books. For additional background on the writer, pair Everyday Voices with An Electronic Conversation with George Ella Lyon, in which she talks about the inspirations for her own work and her writing process.

Program of Studies:
Writing: Writing Content, Writing Structure, Writing Process, Writing Conventions
Arts and Humanities: Purposes for Creating the Arts, Processes in the Arts, Interrelationships Among the Arts
Practical Lviing/Vocational Studies: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning; Employability Skills
Technology: Inquiry and Research; Research, Inquiry/Problem-solving and Innovation; Information, Communication and Productivity High School
Speaking, Listening, Observing

Each year, Kentucky schoolchildren select the winners of the Bluegrass Awards by voting for their favorite recently published books. The three new Reading Room programs for 2005/06, produced by KET, promote the books on the latest list for grade levels 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. They are designed to motivate reading and discussing books by getting kids excited about rating the books they like best.

The list of books for this year, as well as past years’ winners and master lists and more information about participating in the awards project, can be found on the web site.

Each year, Kentucky schoolchildren select the winners of the Bluegrass Awards by voting for their favorite recently published books. The three new Reading Room programs for 2005/06, produced by KET, promote the books on the latest list for grade levels 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. They are designed to motivate reading and discussing books by getting kids excited about rating the books they like best.

The list of books for this year, as well as past years’ winners and master lists and more information about participating in the awards project, can be found on the web site.

Kentuckian George Ella Lyon, author of more than 20 books for children and adults, answers questions from students in this KET production, which originally aired live in May 1997. Topics include where story ideas come from, how being a Kentuckian influences her writing, writing strategies, techniques for crafting dialogue, and the relationship between words and pictures in children’s picture books.

Program of Studies
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Arts and Humanities: Humanity in the Arts
Writing: Writing Content
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

James Still’s River of Earth is a portrait of one of Kentucky’s most distinguished and honored writers as well as an introduction to his work; it also gives students insight into the history and culture of the Appalachian region from which that work springs. Still’s publishing career spanned 70 years and includes novels such as River of Earth, story collections such as Pattern of a Man, children’s books, collections of mountain lore and sayings, poetry collections such as The Wolfpen Poems and The Wolfpen Notebooks: A Record of Appalachian Life.

Through interviews with Still and people who knew him—including scholars, friends, and relatives—this KET production highlights the uniqueness of the man and the importance of his vision. The program also includes archival photographs; reminiscences; and readings from Still’s poetry, stories, and novels.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Arts and Humanities: Humanity in the Arts
Writing: Writing Content
Speaking, Listening, Observing

Join five of Kentucky’s best-loved authors—Bobbie Ann Mason, Wendell Berry, Gurney Norman, Ed McClanahan, and James Baker Hall—for a celebration of creative writing. This 90-minute special features readings the five writers gave in the fall of 2001 as part of the 50th anniversary of the University of Kentucky’s Creative Writing Program.

Educational Use: Teachers will want to preview the program in advance. It is divided into “chapters” which allows for easier use in the classroom. Visit the Living by Words web site at for additional information about all five writers, essays on Kentucky’s literary tradition, and advice from the writers.

This program has been flagged because one poem has the word “s---.”

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Intial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Arts and Humanities: Purposes for Creating the Arts, Humanity in the Arts, Interrelationships Among the Arts
Speaking, Listening, Observing

This KET production features discussions by a panel of readers of books written by Kentucky authors. Selections include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, history, and biography. Though the focus is on contemporary works, several Kentucky classics also have been featured since the series debuted in January 1999.

In addition to introducing a wide range of Kentucky books and authors, the bookclub@ket programs can serve as examples of how to think and talk about literature. While some of the featured books are appropriate for teaching in high school classrooms, others contain adult language and subject matter. The web site has a complete list of the selections.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Arts and Humanities: Humanity in the Arts
Writing: Writing Content, Writing Structure, Writing Process, Writing Conventions
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

From William Faulkner to Flannery O’Connor, Southern writers have brought distinctive voices to American literature. This KET series profiles five Kentucky writers as well as an Appalachian writer with close ties to the state who are helping to continue that tradition of originality. These portraits of artists in mid-career—Barbara Kingsolver, Bobbie Ann Mason, Ed McClanahan, Marsha Norman, Lee Smith, and George C. Wolfe—humanize and demystify the creative process. Biography, process, and performance come into play as we learn where writers come from, how they go about their work, and how they perform, or read, their own work.

Each program features interviews with the writer as well as colleagues, friends, relatives, and critics; visits to places that have figured in or inspired the writer’s work; and readings from that work. The teacher’s guide includes biographical information, a short bibliography on each writer, and ideas for writing activities for students.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Arts and Humanties: Humanity in the Arts
Practical Living/Vocational Education: Career Awareness, Exploration, Planning
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

Young writers talk about writing with Ed McClanahan and Bobbie Ann Mason, two of the six writers featured in KET’s Signature series, in these two programs taped live before a KET studio audience of high school and college students.

Program of Studies:
Reading: Forming a Foundation, Interpreting Text, Developing an Initial Understanding, Reflecting and Responding to Text, Demonstrating a Critical Stance
Arts and Humanties: Humanity in the Arts
Practical Living/Vocational Studies: Career Awareness, Exploration, Planning
Speaking, Listening, and Observing

Six of America’s most memorable poets are portrayed in these programs, originally produced for a college-level telecourse. Nobel Prize winner Joseph Brodsky, writer Mary McCarthy, the late author James Baldwin, and poet Adrienne Rich join other notable writers, scholars, and performers in exploring the work, lives, and times of individual poets. Drama, dance, performances, interviews, archival footage, on-location cinematography, and recordings of poets reading their own works heighten appreciation and understanding of the literary texts.

Programs 105 and 106 have been flagged for content and/or language. KET strongly encourages teachers to preview these programs. Call or e-mail KET Education, (800) 432-0951, ext. 7261, for more information.