This study described the features of writing instruction in widely used kindergarten English Language Arts programs and examined their alignment with evidence-based, best-practice guidelines. Three popular curricula were selected for analyses: Reading Wonders, Journeys, and Reading Street. Our coding of teacher manuals focused on instructional…

The brain is a complex organ with an intellectual capacity that is unique to humans. For educators, it is wise to study the brain's many attributes and how it functions to help guide, inform, and improve teaching practice. Learners' brains are particularly sensitive to certain kinds of stimuli--that is social, physical, cognitive, and emotional…

Today, when the author reads articles or hears discussions about teaching grammar, she finds interesting dichotomies in perspectives. Some people see language issues as right or wrong: That's it. No flexibility. This perspective is evident when people look at issues of language in stark contrasts instead of in relation to context. Another…

Compares deaf writers to basic writers with normal hearing in terms of their apparent attention to grammatical correctness. Finds that deaf subjects devoted substantially less attention to grammatical decision making during composition. (MS)

A process-oriented freshman composition instructor who stresses invention, drafting, and revision can simultaneously integrate a form of grammatical instruction. Various methods and strategies, both from experience and research on grammar from the classical to the contemporary era, suggest such a creative integration. First, the teaching of…

Critics comment on three earlier "College English" articles: Mike Rose's "The Language of Exclusion: Writing Instruction at the University," Elizabeth A. Nist's "Tattle's Well's Faire: English Women Authors of the Sixteenth Century," and Patrick Hartwell's "Grammar, Grammars, and the Teaching of Grammar." Contains responses from Mike Rose and…

Reviews the literature on grammar instruction in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes, highlighting the concerns of ESL students in communicating ideas in written English and the way in which overconcern with grammatical precision can impede the flow of ideas. Concludes that contextualization is the most effective pedagogy. (DMM)

Reports the results of a study for which 25 parents were asked questions about what they believed would constitute the ideal English curriculum. Offers suggestions for how teachers can enhance their relationships with parents and educate them about modern approaches to teaching literature and writing. (TB)

The first section of this paper notes that, out of the frustration they feel in lacking a coherent, definitive system for sequencing language instruction, English teachers sometimes turn to the system of grammar teaching used in the past. It then suggests that the English teaching profession is moving through a Romantic age toward a new Classical…

A study examined the growth in basic writing and grammar skills of 14 developmental English students. The study determined whether a traditional rule-based, form-centered mode of instruction, combined with a limited writing-process approach, had any significant impact on overall writing quality and grammar skills. It used a quantitative,…

Discusses shifts in language/composition research over the past 20 years as they relate to an emerging consensus about English teaching. (SRT)

For use mainly in the English classroom, the 21 lesson plans in this book emphasize the ROAM method, which integrates Repeating, Observing, Associating, and Memorizing as a means to appreciate the communicative arts. The book explains and shows how students can improve and then master communication skills using a four-step process: (1) COLLECT,…

Originally developed as part of a project for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on the role of grammar and the teaching of writing is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes an overview of the project; a comprehensive search of the ERIC…

Intended for use as a standard textbook or a student handbook, this book serves as a reference tool for reading and writing activities. In addition to guidelines concerning reading and writing and library use, the book contains lists, tables and information usually found in an almanac. The sections are divided as follows: (1) grammatical terms,…

Argues against direct formal grammar instruction in middle school. Notes that even students with high IQ's frequently score low on cognitive development measures, with children in the concrete stage of thinking usually unable to identify simple subjects and verb phrases. Recommends that until students achieve a level of formal reasoning they…