Examines materials in the ERIC system related to children's early oral language and the transition from home language to the more formal language used in school. Offers activities for a classroom climate that is responsive to children's oral language development needs. (HTH)

Describes ERIC resources that present research on children's language usage and development and that suggest activities for the promotion of language development. (ET)

Presents examples of young children using written language. Shows teachers and parents what they can learn from children's developing sense of written language. Suggests activities by which parents and teachers can spur child language development. (RL)

Discusses a model for teaching reading and writing in which skilled language users provide support for new language activities in context. Gives examples of typical classroom activities that provide too little or too much support for natural language growth and of activities with a balanced instructional "scaffolding." (HTH)

Describes a project in which children learn about the language of film and how to use language or action to express themselves. Outlines the steps of a class filmmaking project, including brainstorming, plotting, writing, making film props, and filming the movie. (HTH)

Explores the transition of several children from spoken language to beginning writing. (HTH)

Examines materials in the ERIC database that deal with the use of creative drama as a language arts teaching tool. Discusses the nature of creative drama and activities for the classroom. (HTH)

Describes 11 documents in the ERIC system which describe language activities in the context of music, drama, games, and visual stimuli. (DD)

Examines children's acquisition of language meaning through their use of homophony, riddles, and other word play. Discusses ways to encourage the study of meaning, using classroom techniques such as finding metaphorical relations among words and phrases, learning word origins, or studying naming strategies of other cultures. (HTH)

Identifies key premises from whole language theory relative to (1) language and language acquisition; (2) reading and writing processes; (3) teaching and learning; and (4) curriculum. Notes that these premises provide direct assistance to teachers in planning literature-based instruction. Discusses questions and underlying principles using…

Presents ten activity cards which can be used in developing students' defining skills. (DD)

Presents eleven groups of activities students can undertake which deal with sidewalks and which involve both social studies and language arts skills. (DD)

Examines the who, what, where, how, and why of informal drama instruction in the classroom, arguing that, given the current emphasis on "basics" in education, such instruction can provide one of the most basic educational experiences in language arts. (HTH)

Reports an interview with one teacher who shares her story about learning through language and authentic activities. Describes how she and her second-grade students develop a life history together in the classroom community. (MG)