Annotates 28 children's trade books which were selected by the Notable Children's Trade Books in the Language Arts Committee as the most outstanding trade books for enhancing language awareness among elementary school children for 1990. (MG)

Describes a framework, or process, for determining the value of a reading/language arts program--a model for program evaluation. (MG)

Shares an observation guide, created by the author, for supervisors and administrators to use to assist teachers who are working toward an integrated reading/language arts program. (MG)

Provides a rationale for integrating language arts and science instruction. Discusses some of the ways in which science instruction interfaces with language instruction in the author's classroom. (MG)

Unpacks some of the problematic features of "objectives" as they are used within public school districts. Weaves together what has been learned from working directly with teachers with the historical origins of the professional practice of writing curriculum objectives. Discusses a language arts committee that was unable to produce a finished list…

Describes two successful study groups on reading and language arts topics, one for elementary and one for secondary principals, facilitated by reading/language arts supervisors. (SR)

Discusses the need to incorporate the use of language in language-related activities rather than just skills such as reading, writing, and the mechanics of language. An annotated bibliography of 12 titles that incorporate language play is included. (LRW)

Examines criticism of and resistance to Robert Cormier's young adult novel "The Chocolate War." Argues that the book should be taught as tragedy and that teachers should pay their high school students the compliment of assuming their humanity and thus their need and ability to grapple with true tragedy. (SR)

Presents brief descriptions of 38 children's books that are "inspiring." Organizes books in six sections: inspiring lives; inspirational characters; inspirational family times; inspirational celebrations; inspiration rising from adversity; and "too good to miss." (SR)

Presents a case study of the experiences of six girls with the "Phoenix Quest" (PQ) computer game and compares the responses of 41 boys and 57 girls to the same game. PQ was designed to explore language and mathematics in ways appealing to girls. Celebrating and challenging a female protagonist was important to girls. (SLD)

Reviews basic principles underlying word learning and phonics instruction. Discusses approaches to teaching phonics. Draws some tentative conclusions on how an integrated language-arts programs that includes phonics instruction might look in first-grade classrooms. (PA)

Discusses six books written for professional educators, discussing them in two groups; those that tell educators about a particular type of children's literature, and books that show how to engage children in literature study. (SR)

Muses on the power of words and how they shape people's lives. Relates stories from the author's life illustrating this, and relates the author's (a writer of novels for children and young adults) struggles and rewards as she works with words. (SR)

Notes that the author likes to involve her students in the evolving literary canon. Uses "The Shipping News" (E. Annie Proulx, 1993) as a model to illustrate why and how a new book enters the classroom. Describes introducing it, analyzing sentence structure in voice, character analysis, metaphor, writing assignments, and other teachers'…

Discusses a mystery novel ("The Butcher's Theater" by Jonathan Kellerman) in which one detective has a physical disability and another has a learning disability. Discusses how this novel and a specific read-aloud from it can create an awareness of what disabilities are and how to acknowledge them. Notes specific language-arts activities related to…