Noting that recent changes in philosophy and classroom practices in teaching reading and writing have had a major impact on language arts instruction and have caused concern among some parents and teachers, this position paper urges a balanced approach that meets the needs of the children as well as the concerns of the community. An overview of a…

This document contains 10 lesson plans that can be used for career awareness activities in second grade. The lessons were developed by teachers and submitted as part of the Florida Blueprint for Career Preparation. The lesson plans include a topic, materials and information needed, and directions for activities. Lesson plans are designated by…

In the area of language instruction, a network of ecological relationships exists among the teacher, the child, and the text--the sustaining and nurturing of these relationships is at the heart of whole language instruction. Moreover, this network of relationships falls prey to neither of the unsustainable extremities of "gericentrism"…

This book presents nearly 50 interdisciplinary strategies to link social studies and English classes around common themes. The book is designed for the changing classrooms of middle school and high school learners. The strategies are designed to offer a continuum of student-centered activities for a one day lesson to a semester's length. Each…

Scores for five subjects (Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies in grades 2 through 8) from the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program were analyzed for several hundred Tennessee grade schools. Schools which owned the Accelerated Reader learning information system (a computer program which allows teachers to monitor…

Part of a series about research-based programs that show promise for raising student achievement (especially in low-performing schools), this paper describes seven promising reading and language arts programs. Each program shows evidence of high standards, effectiveness, replicability, and support structures. The paper opens with a brief…

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) Gender Study is the result of 4 years of work by several researchers using data from more than 400 tests and other measures from more than 1,500 data sets involving millions of students. The study focuses on nationally representative samples that cut across grades (ages), academic subjects, and years in order…

Intended for grades K-8, this book will help teachers and students launch their own author study programs, making powerful connections with authors while nurturing a community of readers. It argues that, with author study, all students form mentor relationships with authors; gain access to the world of authors and books; develop a wide range of…

The purpose of this sourcebook is to provide elementary classroom teachers with meaningful ideas and activities for supplementing their science and language arts programs. Five general topics encompassing the earth, life, and physical science have been selected as units and further subdivided into chapters. Each chapter contains a multitude of…

This paper is based on the premise that as computer assisted learning becomes more prevalent, teachers will be required to make decisions as to the quality of the software available for instruction. Assessment guidelines from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication Digest No. 79 and the North Carolina Department of Public…

A study examined the systemic reform process initiated in Maryland in 1991. The Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) consists of learning outcomes, a framework for performance assessment, guidelines for school decision making, and suggestions for staff development. One year following the initiation of the MSPAP, semi-structured…

A study explored the degree to which preservice teachers perceived that the interactive approach to language arts instruction was valuable in promoting their learning. Subjects, 63 students in two sections of an undergraduate reading course, completed a five-item questionnaire focusing on specific aspects of the course. Quantitative data analysis…

This book probes the possibilities of interdisciplinary learning and integrated curriculum through the structuring and expressive powers of language. The 15 essays in the book explore the issues of bridging the gap between the two cultures of science and humanities, demystifying science for learners, teaching students to construct and explain…

Presenting a diagnostic teaching unit for grade 7 language arts, this handbook is intended to be used along with the companion handbook 1, "Evaluating Students' Learning and Communication Processes: Integrating Diagnostic Evaluation and Instruction." The student activities of the diagnostic teaching units in the handbook have been…

The paper presented at this conference, the theme of which was "Celebrating Literacy," focused on theories and applications of literature-based education and the use of holistic methods across the curriculum. Following an introduction by the editors, the book contains the following 12 papers: "Windows and Mirrors: Children's Books…