Presents four interdisciplinary classroom lessons based on artworks found in the Saint Louis (MO) Art Museum. Provides background questions to help students and suggestions for an interdisciplinary approach. Includes full-page, color photographs of two paintings, a mural fragment, and a pre-Columbian pottery jar. (CFR)

Describes how the curriculum of a tenth-grade world literature class, with an emphasis on literary genres, was transformed to a curriculum concerned with ethical choices and their consequences within an array of individual and social contexts. Shows how this conversation about ethical choices and dilemmas in her students' lives transformed how the…

Traces perspectives on gender and gender discrimination over the last several decades, as they affect schools and English classrooms. Discusses feminism/feminisms, "add women and stir," sex differences, resistance and backlash, intersections of identity categories, and multiculturalism. Argues that English teachers can be powerful agents in the…

Investigates preservice teachers' attitudes toward writing and toward teaching writing after completing an innovative language-arts course that stressed process approaches and the writing workshop. Examines the influence this course had on the teaching of writing during their student teaching. Investigates how writing instruction was incorporated…

Explores how one state's draft standards addressed five areas: skill development/maintenance through inservice, existence of different teaching and learning styles, effects of varied teaching experiences, development of commonly- and rarely-used skills, and standards' potential for fostering inclusion. Nine participating teachers reported greatest…

Points out that bringing technology into the schools illuminates, and perhaps exacerbates, the advantage that students from wealthy families have over students from poorer families. Notes that advocates for technology often have an agenda that has nothing to do with students' learning. Discusses what educators can do in the face of all this. (SR)

Provides ideas for using computer technology in language arts classrooms, including learning the mechanics of writing; word choice; rewriting; small group formats; evaluation of writing; group-editing software; e-mail; writing for the Web; and hypertext. (LRW)

The New Standards Project, attempting to create an assessment system comprised of performance exams, portfolios and projects, may not have fulfilled its promise to create a national system of tests worth teaching to. However, NSP did deliver high- quality professional-development opportunities for hundreds of teachers across the nation. (Contains…

Teachers in a Spanish/English dual language elementary school in Tucson (Arizona) promote Spanish literacy using a school-designed program. The schoolwide, nonscripted program has been successful in supporting the transfer of reading skills from Spanish to English and in including special education students in dual language schooling. (Contains 33…

Presents seven examples of integrating language arts into the curriculum through the use of community connections: (1) exploring curriculum with themed instruction; (2) promoting discussion; (3) using oral language; (4) introducing "found poetry"; (5) writing across the curriculum; (6) sharing an interpretive reading activity in a readers'…

Describes how a semester-long pen-pal project enabled 18 participating university language arts students, a class of first graders, their teacher, and the university instructors to become co-learners in meaningful, action research. Discusses insights about writing derived from the children's weekly letters. Presents an assessment rubric charting…

Discusses five recent books about language that address issues that arise in classrooms with an increasing number of diverse dialects and varied home languages. Discusses the complexities of language, misunderstandings in the Ebonics controversy, socioeducational issues, and classroom ideas for teachers. Describes two web sites. (SR)

Presents six curriculum guides for art, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Each guide identifies library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, print and nonprint resources, instructional roles, activities and procedures for completion, evaluation, and follow-up. (AEF)

A pull-out folder presents the latest information and resources about teaching reading. After offering statistics about reading and reading instruction, the folder examines National Council of Teachers of English and English/International Reading Association standards, explains how to nurture a love of reading in students, and offers resources for…

Project CHILD (Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development) is an innovative computer-integrated instructional program for the elementary school that offers a restructured framework for technology integration in grades K-5 encompassing the subject areas of reading, language arts, and mathematics. The model and materials, teacher role,…