Although the research base is small on adult English language learners (ELLs) who are learning English while also acquiring basic literacy, this research can still guide instructional practices. The essential components of reading skills suggests that the Language Experience Approach has the potential to integrate relevant meaning-focused reading…

Describes a pattern book activity that provides a means of introducing and reinforcing high frequency vocabulary within a language experience approach. (FL)

Proposes the "say and write" method and the directed sentence reading method as ways of using language experience stories to develop children's sight vocabulary. (FL)

An organic approach to the teaching of reading emphasizes the selection of vocabulary from the experiential background of the child. (JH)

Contains contributions from four educators concerning (l) ways parents can help their children practice reading; (2) vocabulary development, reading, and the Old Order Amish; (3) the "read to share" model or oral reading; and (4) motivating boys to read. (FL)

Examines several approaches to vocabulary development that are alternatives to direct vocabulary instruction. (AEA)

Suggestions are made for a five-day cycle of activities that can be used with primary students to reinforce language from stories they've dictated. Some activities are teacher-directed, while others can be completed independently. The activities can also be adapted to group-dictated stories. (Author/SJL)

A model is offered for building the vocabulary skills of students with deafness or hearing impairments. The model is based on Piaget's theoretical concepts of assimilation and accommodation. The model presents six sequenced steps for learning new vocabulary and suggests using the Language Experience approach, environmental print, predictable…

This study hypothesized that an intervention program that would develop students' language facility in lower elementary school might increase the students' likelihood of retention. An outgrowth of a family literacy project which focused on raising the literacy level of an Appalachian community, the study used the Language Experience Approach which…

The Language Experience Approach (LEA) to teaching reading in English as a second language is described. LEA uses the student's own experiences, vocabulary, and language patterns to create texts for reading instruction. Three stages are defined for assessing learners' levels of language use. The LEA instructional procedures are designed to be…

Vocabulary development, operationally defined as the isomorphism between an individual's store of concepts and the labels society uses to represent those concepts, is akin to concept development. Therefore, vocabulary development can be facilitated if presented in clusters of related concepts. One approach used to reinforce such basic concept…

A practical and detailed account of how the language-experience approach to reading instruction functions is presented. The importance of the bond between thought, word, and deed and reading, writing, and school learning is emphasized, The included chapters describe the function of dictated experience stories, building a word bank, creative…

Suggests a variety of class activities using word banks. (MKM)

Nineteen first grade children were randomly assigned to two experimental reading instruction conditions lasting 12 weeks. Both conditions used the language experience approach to teaching beginning language. In the experimental stage, the language experience approach was augmented by a total of six hours of individualized word-bank activities.…