Describes the development of a beginning writing assessment and defines the criteria used for evaluation. Provides a checklist of evaluation criteria, divided according to three developmental stages: beginning writing or readiness, transition, and composition. (AEA)

Six educational leaders--Patricia J. Cianciolo, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Nancy Larrick, Alan C. Purves, Morton Schindel, and James R. Squire--offer reflections on signficiant developments in children's literature during the 1970s, their hopes for the 1980s, and references that constitute required reading for elementary language arts teachers. (ET)

Offers suggestions from six contributors regarding a variety of classroom activities, including the use of high interest-low vocabulary books with gifted and average readers, an exercise in sequencing, a Halloween project to improve students' grammar, a technique to improve students' dictionary skills, and methods for helping students write books.…

Discusses language as a goal and a means to learning and presents strategies for in-school development of language across the curriculum in the context of consideration of effects on students. (HTH)

Describes a five-step unit approach for using media within a language arts program. (RL)

Low grades and papers overrun with corrections can discourage children from learning to write. Assuming children who write a great deal can become good writers, this article provides alternatives to grading: individual, weekly conferences; editing by peers; and use of an overhead projector. Praise and comments are considered a must. (DS)

Activities which can be used to integrate the teaching of reading with science instruction are presented. These activities are designed to develop encoding and short-term memory skills. (Author/SA)

A monthly exchange of tips, projects, ideas and resources. (Editor)

A monthly compilation of articles on how to teach the basic subjects. (RK)

Teachers of literature must be interested in the ideational and aesthetic perception of an artistic text. The analytical orientation must be modernized to emphasize the practical formation of children's abilities to express their own thoughts. (Author/AV)

Reports the results of six elementary school Latin instructional programs which have produced solid results in children's language and reading performance. Discusses the importance of Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES. (BF/JH)

Describes a program that is teaching reading and communication arts in English to students in the Philippines. The program is based on the premise that thinking is the only genuine foundation for learning and that rote memorization is not learning. Emphasizes the need to foster conceptual development. (CR)

Discusses the standards controversy as it relates to school curriculum. Discusses studying curriculum in action. Characterizes curriculum as a domain for conversation. Outlines four general principles for curriculum evaluation: quality of contributions to the conversation; quantity of material to be dealt with; relatedness of the contributions to…

Discusses (1) knowledge teachers are trying to teach when they ask children to read stories about incidences of pain and horror; (2) how preservice elementary teachers experience the dangers and the possibilities involved in using such literature; (3) principles literary practitioners call upon to assist readers in working through the psychic…

Describes the study of a site-based, 6-credit hour, integrated course in reading and language arts methods designed to tie theory and practice for university students in a Professional Development School (PDS). Demonstrates that the collaboratively taught course had a positive impact upon involved teachers, university students, children in the…