Robust vocabulary instruction is an important part of comprehensive English language arts (ELA) instruction. Vocabulary instruction supports students in learning the meaning of words to build a receptive vocabulary that they can rely on to comprehend the words they read and hear. Many students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD) and…

The nature of this research study examines the relationship between text-talking and writing skills used by American Sign Language (ASL) and English speakers. When given ample opportunity to text-talk in academic settings, it is likely that students will improve their expressive communication and writing skills. The main research question asks:…

This article describes a unit of work framed by a rationale for activating English language learning through arts-based practices that are suitable for preservice teachers who are nonnative speakers of English (seeking certification for teaching English as a second language). Because teachers of English are expected to use language arts to promote…

As students move through the grades, content area learning becomes increasingly significant for reading, writing, and speaking tasks. One research-evidenced approach to actively engaging adolescent learners in acquiring, remembering, and using academic vocabulary in reading, writing and speaking tasks across disciplines is multisensory structured…

This feature article explores the topic of trains from their early history to recent trends in railroading. A glossary provides related vocabulary, a sidebar called "Romance of the Rails" adds colorful detail about train songs and railroad lore. An additional section, "Classroom Activities," by John Silver, presents three…

Learn how to increase rigor so that all students can reach higher levels of learning! With this new edition of a teacher-tested best seller, you get practical ideas for increasing text complexity, providing scaffolding during reading instruction, creating open-ended projects, and much more. The enhanced second edition provides important…

Middle grades teachers should create meaningful learning activities involving stimulating literature and interesting composition prompts. This article describes a unit in which eighth graders read short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. Using multiple learning and teaching approaches, they expanded their vocabularies, responded artistically to "The…

The guide presents enrichment activity information for a language arts unit focusing on vocabulary for gifted and talented students in grades 5 and 6. The information is presented in terms of objectives, entry skills, teacher's approaches, student activities, and resources. Activities deal with such aspects of vocabulary development as synonyms…

Suggestions for using puppets in the classroom are the focus of this how-to-do-it piece by a participant in a Title I elementary school project. Although originally designed as a language arts unit on reading and vocabulary development, the activities described could be adapted for other teaching objectives. Seven aspects of the puppetry project…

This book offers integrated activities in which students explore words and, at the same time, develop their language arts and thinking skills. The book states that this way teachers can pay more attention to word study, without sacrificing other parts of the English curriculum and without resorting to word lists and memorization. In the first…

Three activities designed to increase the reading, writing, and vocabulary levels of hearing impaired students (elementary through middle school level) are described. Activities focus on such tasks as recognizing similar attributes among objects, using comic books to understand story elements, and constructing definitions after reading and…

Meeting the standards. Differentiating. Intriguing, involving, and inspiring students. Teachers meet standards; differentiate instruction; and intrigue, involve, and inspire students with these innovative lessons ripped from the headlines--and from the comics, the weather map, and the classified ads. The author offers step-by-step directions for…

In these 20 activities for grades 1-6, children translate from numbers to words. Five language objectives focus on quantitative expression, comparisons, sequence, logical continuity, and elaboration. Each objective includes a math exercise followed by a related language experience. (Author/SJL)

Presents a system for differentiating skills and teaching objectives in a way that makes the underlying common components of the language arts more readily identifiable. (FL)

The language arts are often neglected by environmental educators because they seem to evade integration with environmental concepts. However, they are among the most adaptable of the disciplines, and it is essential that the skills they teach (abstraction, imagination, and communication) be brought to bear on the environment. Only through study…