"Animals" is a three-part lesson plan for young learners with a zoo animal theme. The first lesson is full of activities to describe animals, with Simon Says, guessing games, and learning stations. The second lesson is about desert animals, but other types of animals could be chosen depending on student interest. This lesson teaches…

Shows how having students write journals about their learning experiences was an effective teaching technique in the primary grades. (RL)

Using student dictated stories to create class books is an exciting way to teach young children about books and writing. Children can thus use their own material as they learn to read, the books provide a class library, and writing through dictation allows young children to learn about reading and writing before they can read or write--even with…

Suggests that by using a variation of the language experience approach, teachers can facilitate the learning of both science and reading. (FL)

Discusses the language experience approach (LEA) to teaching reading and offers suggestions for six types of LEA stories: student selected, class shared, shape, patterned, written dialogue, and directed language teaching. (FL)

Provides ideas for implementing the language experience approach with first-grade students. (FL)

Presents a series of teaching ideas that use language experience stories produced by children to foster their expressive language abilities. (FL)

Presents strategies for teachers: 1) to demonstrate to children the need for content revision; 2) to help children clarify the content of their writing; 3) to show children the need for editing changes; and 4) to assist children in their editing effort. (SD)

Discusses illiterate and semiliterate adults who want to become literate to enjoy a more satisfactory quality of life. Describes their life experiences and provides examples of effective instruction methods based on the language experience approach, including dictation, word banks, journal writing, individualized and assisted reading, and…

This paper was designed to show that the two seemingly disparate concepts of andragogy (the study of how adults learn) and whole language are compatible and should be considered by planners and implementers of adult literacy programs. Guiding principles that both andragogy and whole language share are: (1) active participation of learners; (2) use…

Aimed at elementary school teachers interested in promoting their students' enjoyment of and skill in writing, this guide offers a number of ideas for writing activities. The guide focuses on the creative use of language and suggests ways in which students can be stimulated to write poems and stories, create metaphors, write descriptions of people…

Revision, an essential component of the writing process, encompasses two basic elements: rewriting the content to assure clarity, and editing the draft to eliminate mechanical and grammatical errors. It is important for teachers to plan lessons directed specifically toward helping children make more sense of their messages. This document presents…

Applicable to kindergarten through grade 12, the individualized Language Arts composition program is based upon actual student experiences. Once student writing samples have been plotted on a diagnostic grid, the program's manual provides teachers with specific methods for meeting students' needs. Uniting cognitive, affective, and creative…

Presents an overview of three ways that the computer can bridge the gap between reading and writing instruction: (1) word processing in the Language Experience Approach; (2) software to combine text and graphics; and (3) software to facilitate interactive reading and writing experiences. (MG)

This booklet contains over 35 sample student activities designed by teachers to support the development of prerequisite skills for reading comprehension and to offer opportunities for mastery learning. Activities are suggested in the areas of letter/sound relationships, word recognition, experiential concept development, cognitive concept…