This document reviews the literature about the variety of instructional methods to teach social studies concepts. Divided into five parts, part 1 investigates current curriculum goals in social studies. Part 2 examines the literature on the use of textbooks and stategies in social studies instruction. Part 3 explores the use of textbooks…

In the wake of Alabama's new rules requiring multicultural education in teacher education programs, a study examined whether multicultural literature was actually being taught in all levels of education in the state, how it was being taught, and who was teaching it. The study covered English language arts classes throughout Alabama in levels K…

A study examined the effect of a kinesthetic component in instruction on the performances of 16 5- and 6-year-old public school students on a cognitive development test. Eight boys and eight girls were randomly selected and assigned in equal numbers to a treatment group and a control group. The kinesthetic elements consisted of drawing, coloring,…

This instructional resource for classroom teachers and teacher educators who are actively involved in the development and enhancement of mentoring relationships between classroom professionals describes a mentoring relationship between an experienced teacher and a first-year teacher in middle school language arts. The resource outlines lessons…

Presenting a wide array of Internet addresses and sample lessons, this book shows how teachers can integrate the Internet into their K-12 curriculum to actively involve students. The ideas and lessons in the book help students to communicate with people in faraway places; gather information from around the globe; develop sophisticated research…

Providing guidance to language arts teachers and those responsible for curriculum development, this handbook provides a model competency-based language arts program that provides direction for Ohio school districts in developing local competency-based educational programs. The model includes the following for grades 1 through 12: (1) a model…

The goals outlined in the California Language Arts Framework (1987) include a call for Language Arts instruction that promotes a love of reading through a sense of personal fulfillment, a sense of effectiveness through which students acquire a range of lifelong learning strategies that foster full participation in the world of work and the access…

This digest considers approaches to langugae arts teaching that are based on mythic or archetypal ways of experiencing and knowing. The Digest argues that such approaches address students' inner lives more directly than do the usual instructional methods such as whole language or student-centered instruction, and thus can help to promote…

Science is generally not seen as a subject that produces literate readers and writers, which is a major goal in the elementary grades. The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to determine the development of preservice elementary teachers' (N=46) definitions of language arts over the course of a semester. It also looked at ways…

Building principals who demonstrate positive language arts leadership can have a major impact on children's literacy learning. Even extremely busy administrators can find time to read educational newspapers and newsletters, which provide pertinent information about forthcoming workshops and conferences, professional and instructional resources,…

Providing a low-key, nonthreatening way for teachers and parents to build partnerships for kids, this book presents short, concrete activities in English and Spanish to foster communication between teachers and parents and between parents and children. While the activities in the book are designed for kindergartners, none of the activities have…

Noting that making images is as natural as speaking, this book presents 13 essays by teachers from elementary school through college that show how writing, art, and reading can be combined in different ways in various subject areas. Essays in the book share ways that teachers connect the visual arts to literacy instruction as well as to their own…

While several studies focus on how students learn, very few focus on how teachers teach. It has been assumed that successful learning is judged by effective teaching. To carry out learning tasks successfully, it is important for students to have multiple learning opportunities and "style-shift" while learning. On the other hand, teachers…

This book highlights ways in which science instruction benefits from the perspectives of teachers committed to whole language. The introductory chapter starts from a viewpoint outside the classroom and seeks to identify overall patterns while the remaining chapters build from experiences in individual classrooms. This book assumes that teachers…

This manual focuses on literary analysis and is intended for use by teachers using the Project Success Enrichment (PSE) program to teach language arts to gifted and typical elementary school students. The literary analysis unit provides teachers with lessons keyed to a number of the Newbery Award winners from 1934-1995, along with a literary…