Reviews "Favorites, Friendships, Food, and Fantasy: Literature-Based Thematic Units for Early Primary" (A. Lukasevich and F. Pieronek), a two-volume publication that presents four literature-based thematic units for use in the language arts curriculum. The units are designed to be used sequentially in 12- or 15-day segments, and each lesson has 4…

Shares observations made by a third-grade teacher who experimented with a variety of strategies to improve her students' abilities to write about mathematics. Notes that this gave the teacher a greater understanding of how students approached solving math problems and helped students practice writing in a meaningful way. (SR)

A study evaluated the effectiveness of video instruction in teaching the meanings and uses of idioms to 20 deaf adolescents. Students improved their knowledge and use of idioms more when exposed to the video/discussion approach than to the lecture/discussion approach. (DB)

Discusses collaboration between a teacher and an education professor in developing and implementing a new reading/language-arts program in a fifth-grade classroom. The move from a traditional basal reading and language-arts textbook approach to one using novels and process writing meant many changes for both teacher and students. An Author's…

Discusses how a fourth-grade language arts teacher (who had moved from basal instruction to a program based on students' selection of literature) used "circle discussions" to satisfy, in part, the accountability concerns of parents and administrators. Notes that these discussions of literature among the students became an integral part…

According to a 2-year study of over 1,500 middle-level classrooms in California and Missouri, most writing programs are not woven into the fabric of middle-school programs, practices, or policies. Programs are couched within the English/language arts curriculum. Four factors affect programs--teacher characteristics, commitment to middle-school…

Depicts the isolation which results when education, particularly language arts education, is concerned primarily with the acquisition of skills. Urges educators not to lose sight of the fundamental purpose of the language arts, which are to help people make and articulate meaning from their experiences, to empower people, and to imagine…

Compares the philosophies of whole-language instruction and outdoor education. Both incorporate other subjects in a theme approach, use meaningful materials, are student-centered, and are process-oriented. An outline of a teaching unit based on the story "Sarah Plain and Tall" integrates whole language and outdoor education. (KS)

Discusses ways in which various aspects of language or words may be addressed by using children's literature. Such use generates an interest in language and words that carries over into children's reading, writing, listening, and speaking. (BB)

Interactive language arts homework helps parents and children come together on activities they enjoy. The article presents a project in which students interview their parents on hairstyles from their youth, write a paragraph about the subject, then follow up with class activities. Includes a questionnaire form for students to give their parents.…

Presents overall conclusions from research and case studies of four children who showed indicators of emerging biliteracy and cultural sensitivity in a language arts class where the inherent link between culture and language was evident. Illustrates how the language arts instruction in a bilingual classroom affected children's growth in a second…

Analyzed think-aloud protocols of elementary teachers as they composed language arts report cards. Found that teachers wrote report cards for specific purposes (to motivate, inform, change behavior, etc.) and audiences (students, parents, teachers, administrators), and that these considerations influenced the information included on the report…

Shares one teacher's attempts to highlight diversity and children's cultures in authentic ways. Examines three children's connections to culture and their own cultural identities by looking at issues they explored across the school year (family, family and religion, and ethnicity). Situates the discussion of multiculturalism in the context of "kid…

Offers examples of exemplary classroom practice to address the issue of whether English language arts teachers can teach effectively if they are not fluent in the languages students speak. Discusses acts of inclusion (such as raising language status, and having flexible language boundaries), codeswitching as a resource, language choice and…

Relates the experiences of numerous secondary school teachers (in a variety of disciplines) who found successful ways to use the Internet in their classrooms. Offers their comments and recommendations. Discusses controlling student Internet access, and includes the Acceptable Use Policy form from the author's school district. Offers suggestions…