This comparative case study explores the roles of reading-to-write and writing-only approaches on students' L2 writing skills. Six third-year English major students from a Thai university, with diverse proficiency levels, participated in the study. Data from students' writing samples, semi-structured interviews, and observations were analyzed…

A surprising conversation with her young daughter inspired author Brandie Bohney to incorporate mentor texts to help students make sense of convention rules. Since struggling and reluctant readers tend to also be struggling and reluctant writers, the author designed activities that would concentrate on the conventions students most needed to…

This study explored whether presenting grammar instruction within the context of reading and writing would improve writing skills. The participating schools were using a traditional grammar instruction in which grammar lessons were predominately taught using worksheets and were presented separately from other reading and writing activities. This…

Describes class activities for the primary grades based on Margaret W. Brown's book "The Important Book" which connects reading and writing. (SR)

This collection of seven essays focuses on the wealth of language learning possibilities that open up when teachers surround children with attractive and well-written books and know how to use them in imaginative ways. It reflects the current movement in elementary education toward child-centered teaching and integrating the language arts. Essays…

Describes a cooperative endeavor between university and public school professionals in integrating reading and writing lessons. Describes the Developmental Reading and Writing Lesson (DRWL) program's prereading/prewriting, guided silent reading and revising, skill development and editing, and independent follow-up activities. (HTH)

Describes how the writing of a favorite author helped a child accomplish what she wanted in her own writing. Discusses the classroom environment that encouraged the child's writing. (HTH)

The double-entry journal requires students to write affective response statements to readings, and to compare such entries with classmates. After discussions with peers and critical analysis of the literature, students write a second journal entry synthesizing insights gained from discussion, analysis, readings, and writings. The journal (1)…

Discusses whole-language learning in Indiana classrooms, its philosophical origin and appropriate educational environment. The article offers a set of beliefs about whole-language teaching and presents guidelines to help schools restructure their thinking about the curriculum and learning climate. (SM)

A literate classroom environment immerses a student in a rich, stimulating, interactive, and purposeful print and language environment which is designed to provide for success in reading, writing, listening, and speaking and the needs of individuals responsible for their own learning in a natural, non-competitive, non-threatening, risk-taking…

The article explores the creation of whole-language learning, examining educational reform since the 1950s. It presents descriptions of whole-language learning, noting confusion about its definition and debating whether it is a reaction to poor reading and language arts teaching or response to criticisms of teaching since the 1950s. (SM)

To determine whether a comprehensive, cooperative learning approach can be used effectively in elementary reading and writing instruction, a study evaluated the Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) program. Experimental subjects, 11 third- and fourth-grade CIRC classes, worked in heterogeneous learning teams for all reading,…

Although teachers are often told to use literature as models for students' writing, they are rarely provided with specific suggestions on how, when, and why to use literature, or trade books, in their curriculum. Yet there are many situations in which the use of literature can be helpful to the novice writer. With pre-kindergarten or kindergarten…

There have been minimal investigations into the related processes of learning to read and to write and there is a real need for research to study reading and writing together in the beginning stages of literacy instruction. To determine an instructional approach for this integration, the effect on language arts achievement of dialogue journal…

Noting that recommendations for integrating elementary reading and writing often fail to provide adequate specific suggestions, proposes seven instructional principles based upon research on the reading-writing relationship and suggests specific techniques for each principle. (NH)