The author realizes that having a scripted curriculum is not a complete roadblock to culturally relevant instruction, yet it introduces the challenge of figuring out how to implement a particular program as required, while incorporating elements that really help connect the lessons to the students' lives. This year she has experimented with…

Most early childhood teachers support breaking away from the letter-a-week method of teaching the alphabet but question how to achieve that goal. Concepts related to how young children learn the alphabetic principle are reviewed and successful strategies for teaching the principle are presented. (LB)

Discusses why mastering pronunciation in a second language is difficult and gives some errors common to students learning English as a second language. Describes some useful guidelines and techniques for pronunciation instruction. (EKN)

Use of electronic communication options to access foreign language teaching resources is discussed, illustrated with examples from programs and applications found in New York State. The discussion is divided into four sections, each addressing an aspect of electronic communication for preparing for and teaching a foreign language: issues of access…

It is argued that a more comprehensive, systematic understanding of the nature of the alphabet, its three identities (letters/graphemes, letters/nomenemes, sounds/phonemes), and their specific functions in the teaching of various language skills and subskills should be an integral part of the language arts curriculum and instructional plan,…