Gamification uses game elements such as quests, challenges, levels, and rewards to motivate and engage students in the classroom. Given the engagement that students feel during gameplay, it is sensible to include elements of game design to motivate students and create a space for comprehensive vocabulary instruction. Designing a gamified…

The authors offer a new perspective on close reading that uses a range of multimodal texts to capitalize on the visual nature of contemporary society and to support literacy within the academic disciplines. Specifically, a qualitative study explored teachers' perspectives on the use of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), a practice borrowed from…

Describes how a group of third-grade teachers engaged in meaningful and useful curriculum development in the language arts, starting with a belief statement, and moving to program outcomes, integrated topics, specific objectives, and student exhibitions and portfolios. (SR)

Discusses one teacher's experience in helping a student in that student's literacy development. Considers this in terms of a "career awareness activity." Discusses the presentation of "literacy as commodity," and defining a student by what part of themselves they can "sell." (SG)

Recommends four resources (including basal materials) to use when designing reading-language arts curricula for classroom or school districts. (MG)

Examines negotiated curriculum and the teacher's framing questions when helping students design curriculum. Offers examples from a multiage classroom of seven- to nine-year-old students. (SR)