The purpose of this case study was to investigate how an English language arts teacher used young adult literature to help English language learners improve English and literacy comprehension. Through the lens of Anzaldua's (2007) "borderlands", and Rolon-Dow's (2005) "critical care", the authors analyze the case study…

The process of acquiring language is often depicted as a tiered process of oral development: listening and speaking; and, literacy development: reading, and writing. As infants we first learn language by listening, then speaking. That is, regardless of culture, or dialect we are first immersed in language in this oral context. It is only after one…

Balanced literacy has been proposed as a compromise or middle ground between philosophical approaches to reading instruction that stress teaching of word recognition and those that stress construction of meaning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the READ 180 balanced literacy supplementary instruction program on…

The present study examined the impact of the Simultaneous Multisensory Institute for Language Arts (SMILA) approach on the reading proficiency of 39 students between the ages of 7-11 participating in a summer reading program. The summer reading clinic draws students from the surrounding community which is located in a large urban district in the…

Argues that language arts teachers need to guide pupils in developing good handwriting so that they may communicate content to others. Offers six principles of teaching and learning good handwriting. (FL)

Suggests methods for promoting competency and growth in composition. (RB)

Discusses, in the form of a dialogue between parents and teacher, the relationship of listening to speaking, reading, and writing. Describes several classroom techniques to reinforce listening for a purpose. (SR)

Presents guidelines for teaching spelling, focusing on the issue of whether spelling instruction should be formal or informal, the use of word lists, efficient instructional procedures, effective methods for studying words, the need for systematic improvement of retention, and integration of spelling and writing. (RAE)

Argues that a child-centered language arts program encourages individualization of instruction, because language arts work can be easily adjusted to each child's nature and needs through flexible program schedules, child-teacher planning, and the unit teaching approach. (RB)

Describes the cooperative learning technique and the advantages of using the technique. Presents the most widely used cooperative learning techniques and describes those suitable for the reading/language arts classroom. (MG)

Provides relevant background information about the hemispheric nature of the brain. Presents a framework for resulting practical implications for elementary school language arts. Notes that both prospective and practicing elementary school teachers should find this linkage of theory and practice beneficial as they help children gain language arts…

Shares ways in which teachers who use a basal reading series can go beyond the manual and integrate the whole language approach into the language arts program. (MG)

Grammar instruction has long been a troubling issue for many language arts teachers. This collaborative research between an elementary classroom teacher and university faculty, based on the assumption that grammar is most effectively taught in reading and writing, looks into the short- and long-term effect of error-based grammar instruction on the…

Coursebooks are an indispensable tool of the language arts instruction in elementary schools across California State. They are designed for teachers with precise indications of instructional practices, classroom social and participatory structures. However, these pre-designed practices are hardly evaluated for their appropriateness to meet…