Discusses four ways to incorporate writing into math and science instruction: content journals, written conversations, letter writing, and informal reports. Includes a chart describing 20 additional kinds of writing that might be incorporated into science and math learning, including directions, advertisements, biographies, lists of facts,…

To effectively manage literacy portfolios, teachers need to choose appropriate containers or folders; consider student level; review portfolios daily; collect data from a few students each day; write anecdotal notes on students' literacy development; make sure portfolios are complete; consider group portfolio conferences with parents; and ask…

Emphasizes the importance of teachers making a year-long plan of what they want to accomplish during the school year, as well making sure that their classroom schedule allows for large blocks of reading and writing time for the students. (MDM)

Discusses the whole-language approach to education at the middle school level, introducing concepts and techniques that teachers can employ to implement whole-language learning in their classrooms. Notes that, even in departmentalized schools with short class periods, teachers can use many of these ideas in whatever subject they teach. (MDM)

Discusses ways that whole-language teachers can address the concerns raised by administrators, parents, and other teachers about the physical environment and noise level in the classroom. Notes that teachers using whole-language approaches often need to explain and justify their expertise and teaching methods to individuals not familiar with the…

Describes strategies for using content area literature to develop understanding and involvement in content areas: reading aloud in content areas, allowing time to read literature in content areas, discussing the readings, including literature circles in the content areas, incorporating readers' theater, incorporating content journal writing, and…

Notes that young children's involvement with the political system begins with a strong positive attachment to the country, and the president is prominent in children's minds when thinking of government. Suggests children's books; theme immersion; writing activities, such as research reports and interviews; and mock elections to enhance students'…

Discusses ways that whole-language teachers can address the concerns raised by parents and others about why they do not teach phonics in isolation, drill students on sight words, or expect word-perfect oral reading. Notes that teachers often need to explain and justify their expertise and teaching methods to individuals not familiar with the…

Presents sample questions for use as a guide for teachers to question students about literature and to model effective questioning techniques for them. Details topics, including literary characteristics; setting; vocabulary; general questions; characters; author; plot, theme, mood, and moral; and illustrations-pictures. (KDFB)

Discusses ways that whole-language teachers can address the concerns raised by administrators, teachers, and parents about the use of portfolios in language arts classes. Suggests that teachers can use student self-evaluation and other methods to assign grades in portfolio-based classes, and master various techniques to reduce the time needed to…

Discusses ways that whole-language teachers can address the concerns raised by parents and others about why they do not teach spelling and handwriting in isolation but as part of various reading and writing activities. Notes that teachers often need to explain and justify their expertise and teaching methods to individuals not familiar with the…

Describes the practices of an eighth-grade English teacher who emphasizes a language-rich curriculum and how she balances reading and writing activities; also discussed are how she integrates grammar instruction, parent involvement, modeling of effect writing practices, core readings, peer conferences, teacher-student trust, individualized…

Second in a series of columns on helping children develop content area literacy. Gives children's perspectives on appropriate uses of various media and tools in the elementary school curriculum, including computers. Comments on the future use of traditional resources such as books. (ET)

Describes teaching strategies for students' initial exposure to nonfiction materials to help students' comprehension of new materials of varying opinions, and integration of new knowledge. Provides specific questions to elicit student understanding and utilization of new content, author, organization, biography, style, publishing conventions,…

First in a series of columns on helping children develop content area literacy. Promotes the 3W3H strategy, a framework of "what" and "how" questions to help students approach content-area assignments. (ET)