The value of teaching children to look objectively at language as they make the transition from reality-bound sentences to linguistically correct sentences is examined. (HTH)

Whole language learning, which is often defined in abstract terms, is discussed in terms of its rationale, its practical applications, its implications for how communication skills are taught, and its classroom implementation. (JL)

This informal summary of proceedings from a conference on the preparation of English teachers in the 1980s identifies several fields demanding development in the interest of better English teaching at all levels. After briefly identifying conference participants and explaining the conference program development, the summary presents both a…

Describes new standards set by the International Reading Association and National Council of Teachers of English. States that the new standards reflect the best of current research and theory about how students learn to be powerful users of English language arts. Provides details about the new standards, including how they were revised from their…

The New Adventure in Learning program, a language and reading skills program stressing individually determined instruction and positive behavioral principles, is described in this report, and adoption procedures for the program are outlined. Part one indicates the type of community, school, and students that have been served by the program and…

This summary paper, the result of an ongoing collaborative process, presents an extended policy statement for English Language Arts K-12 in Saskatchewan, Canada. The paper is in five major sections: (1) Introduction; (2) Foundations and Principles (outlining the value of language--both dynamic and rule-governed--as a foundation for the English…

Recommends helping reluctant readers learn to make videos as a strategy for helping them engage in language arts activities for authentic purposes. Discusses equipment needs, preproduction, storyboarding and script creation, production, and suggested topics for school videos. (SR)

Discusses changes in the field of young adult literature since the 1980s. Examines how the definition of "young adult" has evolved. Offers a brief overview of the history of young adult literature from the 1940s. Considers the rise of awards for merit in young adult publishing, noting three in particular. Concludes this is a golden age of young…

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…

Outlines the program "Language Arts in the Primary School" which was developed by the National Institute for Curriculum Development in the Netherlands. Focuses on three areas of that project: (1) the school and its language education; (2) the projects research activities; and (3) the school's curriculum. (BR)

Shares some lesser known generalities and historical influences that have influenced the English spelling system. Argues that teachers can help students discover some of the patterns and complexities of English spelling and together explore the rich and fascinating story of how this printed language has developed and changed over time, thus…

Describes an attempt to write and edit a series of stories, 'Science Web Reader,' which make good reading for pupils aged 11-13. Explores three aspects of story: the author identified as a person, the story as that person's thoughts, and the offering of a distinct point of view. (Author/MM)

Reviews three computer software programs for classroom use: Muppet Word Book, for children three to six; Dragon Game Series, on parts of speech, for students in grades four through high school; and Chemistry Achievement I, for students who are 16 to 18 years old, or in grades 10 to 12. (BB)

Presents an integrative approach which combines language arts and school guidance or counseling. Offers examples intended to serve as suggestions to counselors and language arts teachers interested in working together in such an approach. Discusses benefits of a language arts-counseling program. (NB)

Examines the last five years of articles in this journal to show what topics were most often written about (the "Top Picks" or "TopPics"). Discusses these results and makes recommendations that deserve considerable attention in the future. Notes that integrated language arts was a perennial TopPic. (SR)