Drawing on current curriculum, the work and research of renowned scholars, and especially his own teaching experience, Gutteridge examines the nature of student classification based on their understanding of literature, and its devastating impacts on learning progress throughout the years. Chronicling the negative consequences of assigning such categories to students (instead of designing separate programs for each group-forms of writing and expression more suited to their learning style and stage of development-the "general category" is often offered watered down academic courses), Gutteridge shares a number of experimental programs that have attempted to offer a few adjustments over the years (Fidler, 1969; Dixon, 1979; Medway, 1980; Holt, 1964). He hopes that the student classification based on the study of literature will go away as it patronizes and demeans the student groups. Instead, all students will be given equal opportunity to study fine literature. Central to this process is revitalizing a teaching system which incorporates both normal and advanced readers. That way, students, relative to their ability and learning style, will be able to comprehend more complicated texts and learn the moral, cultural, and psychological pleasures of literature on the way. Insightful and reflective, this is another good book from Gutteridge.

Don Gutteridge was born in Sarnia and raised in the nearby village of Point Edward. He taught High School English for seven years, later becoming a Professor in the Faculty of Education at Western University, where he is now Professor Emeritus. He has published seventy-six books: poetry, fiction and scholarly works in literary criticism and pedagogical theory and practice. He has published twenty-two novels, including the twelve-volume Marc Edwards mystery series and a YA fable, The Perilous Journey of Gavin the Great, and thirty-eight books of poetry, one of which, Coppermine, was short-listed for the 1973 Governor-General's Award. In 1970 he won the UWO President's Medal for the best periodical poem of that year, "Death at Quebec." Don lives quietly in London, Ontario.