The author discussed the writing-across-the-curriculum movement and how it has been interpreted. A model of writing across the curriculum is described, and the benefits of such a program to students are stated. (MT)

The inexperienced teacher should begin the year with a plan grounded in information from effective classroom models. Knowledge of what activities to select, in what sequence to place them, and how to communicate with students about the selected activities might relieve much of the doubt and anxiety that can cloud professional judgment and…

Something significant can be learned by "listening-in" on children's conversations. Research has shown individual differences among students that may affect children's achievement. Teachers need to "listen-in" on children's conversations and "listen-for" what children are saying about how well they understand directions and activities. (CB)

Developing a classroom environment where students share their ideas, feelings, and perceptions can be a challenge for the teacher. Language acquisition begins in the home and many teachers are finding ways to incorporate key aspects of the home environment into communication activities in school. Computer software that may expand the communicative…

Content or subject matter, interpersonal relationships, and symbolic means of representing meaning are interacting elements that affect language use. The elements have been described as the field, tenor, and mode of discourse. The influence of these concepts on what children write, why they write, and for whom they write are explored. (DF)

The issue of teachers' interpretion of children's language and ideas is explored through observations of sharing time in a second-grade classroom. Problems associated with teacher evaluation of student competence in classrooms where children come from various ethnic and linguistic backgrounds are discussed. (DF)

Research about classroom communication, classroom management, training, and staff development form the basis around which teachers can improve their practice. Staff development programs must be dynamic to support and stimulate this process. (CB)

Peer relationships greatly influence how students form opinions of books and of reading in general. Students in a class can be seen as a community of readers. Their discussions, both formal and informal, can be a means of developing an awareness of literature and how to enjoy it. (PP)