Spelling should be recognized as a developmental process that is child-initiated and discovery-based. Through use of an integrated whole language approach, children can be provided with opportunities to acquire spelling as a natural language process by beginning at their own developmental level and refining their internal knowledge of word…

A modification of the language experience approach in which meaningful experiences form the basis for evoking language is illustrated with an autistic person. (CL)

The premise of this booklet is that reading should be taught from the beginning to all students with the techniques and materials and orders of presentation that have been found to be effective in remediation, such as the concept of controlled lists. It is "common sense" to teach words in such lists in phonic context, rather than the…

Six conceptions prevail about the language experience approach (LEA) although research and practical experience have proven them false. (1) "LEA does not teach basic skills." If basic skills are defined as communication competence, LEA teaches basic communication skills as well as the mechanics of communication. (2) "A language experience…

Notes that reading and writing can accelerate speech and language growth for nonvocal individuals. Proposes the language experience approach as an effective instructional technique for use with such individuals. (FL)

Values clarification strategies or activities in which children explore, list, order, and code their experiences and thoughts, combined with language experience techniques, can provide meaningful reading situations. Values strategies function as affective mobilizers to bring a child's attitudes and emotions into interaction with learning…

Explores two factors which can help teachers in guiding students who have difficulty reading their textbooks--understanding the reasons why students have problems and finding some way to teach the subject content and reading at the same time. (JM)

Maintains that, in teaching and in teaching writing, methods matter if they are organic methods that grow out of real-life experiences. Notes that in another sense, all that matters is getting both teacher and student to wake up to their own lives and to what they know, absolutely, within themselves. (SR)

Teachers can encourage students to see reading as meaning-making in a number of ways. Context support methods begin by ensuring that the context is already familiar to students so that word recognition is made easier. Language experience approaches encourage children to learn to read by first reading what they have produced. Real books, as…

An approach to spelling instruction allows students to select spelling words as part of a whole-language, language experience writing program. Guidelines for implementing such a program are offered. (CL)

Discusses some of the inherent problems of teaching Indochinese refugees in schools without ESL (English as a Second Language) programs. Considers the strengths and weaknesses of using the language experience approach with Indochinese refugees. (JT)

Discusses the effect of previous knowledge on reading comprehension. Suggests reading instruction methods that evoke the readers' experiences, or schemata, relevant to the material. (HTH)

Describes the steps involved in adapting the language experience approach for teaching second language learners in the regular classroom as: involving the discussion of student experiences and knowledge related to the text reading selection; recording student experiences and knowledge into written language; and considering student review or…

This paper describes a specific form of qualitative research--narrative inquiry. In this form of research, peoples' stories become the data. The paper explores the power of narrative inquiry as a "heretical" research method and how it can be used to examine stakeholders' experiences and beliefs related to transforming a system; for example, the…

Discusses the practice of language experience and individualized reading to better understand the methodology of these approaches. States that the fundamental principle is that each teacher must utilize some aspect of the internal world of the student. (MG)