We begin this article with a brief look at opportunities to learn for the nation's growing numbers of Emerging Bilingual children. We briefly present the research literature that supports the use of children's languages other in English (LOTEs) in literacy instruction whether the children are participating in bilingual/dual language programs or…

Critical literacy provides the opportunity to queer picture books and challenge normative depictions of family. In this autoethnography, the author describes her 4-year-old's journey of learning to talk back to texts as she actively constructs a better, more just world. The author argues that a critical literacy tool kit is vital to every child's…

Describes the benefits of having students tape their own stories for use by the entire class. (RB)

Describes how to use wordless picture books to develop reading readiness and language competence. (MKM)

Children's drawings provide a natural introduction to reading and writing. (JM)

Argues that rather than using a spelling series and treating spelling as a subject separate from the other language arts, teachers should use a program that begins with encouraging invented spelling and moves to the use of high frequency word lists and spelling by meaning. (FL)

Looks at research and practice in the area of idioms and offers suggestions for teaching them effectively. (FL)

Sets forth educational inferences drawn from a classroom incident involving a first-grade child and her first story writing experience. (FL)