In this study, we focused on the implementation of a disciplinary literacy inquiry unit with a group of sixth-grade students. Guided by us, students learned about a local budgetary crisis, researched subtopics of interest to them (e.g., the effect of budget cuts on school athletics), and then wrote letters to their state's governor sharing their…

Children's literature text sets can be powerful tools for teaching students about diversity and literacy, engaging students in authentic purposes for literacy practices while exploring complex issues such as Islamophobia. The authors discuss how an intermediate public school teacher integrated a children's literature text set project exploring…

In this article, the authors share their experiences creating and implementing a unit focused on supporting bilingual identities through integrating language domains and translanguaging with authentic writing experiences. Two dual-language first-grade teachers from Colombia and the US worked together to model, celebrate, and support the use of…

This article presents research that investigated how a school year-long letter-writing project between kindergarten students and extended family members could facilitate literacy development in students, as well as provide a way to build inter-generational bonds through correspondence focused on family history and stories. Analysis centered on the…

An important part of student success in school is the involvement of families. However, the communication between students and families regarding school is often sparse at best and caregivers can feel left out as to what is happening. Friday letters improve communication between students and families and also provide a myriad of instructional…

In the study described in this article, fourth-grade teachers and students of different abilities and language backgrounds were interviewed before, during, and after participating in an Internet pen pal program. Results reveal that the program's authentic tasks and texts facilitated communication and enabled students to learn about a different…

This article describes a qualitative research project that examined pen pal letters exchanged between children in Virginia, USA, and Malawi in Sub-Saharan Africa. The goal was to study the nature of communication between students living in these two very different cultural contexts. The results of this study indicated that there were three primary…

Shares what the author-illustrator has learned about writing from letters and visits with school children. (RS)

Suggests that letter writing can provide an especially empowering form of writing practice, as young children send meaningful written messages to one another, classroom mascots, pen pals, family members, and even elected officials. Concludes that the ultimate purpose of reading and writing is meaningful communication, and letter writing provides…

Describes a pen pal experience between a third and fourth grade class and some local senior citizens. (MM)

Explores the literary connection between writers and readers by offering examples from the work of the writers and the responses of their readers. (HOD)

Discusses five classroom teaching methods: (1) creating audio-visual picture book presentations; (2) using written retellings of fables to teach dialogue; (3) writing letters; (4) planning a year-end "read-in"; and (5) turning story maps into game boards. (RS)

Reviews the content of parents' notes to teachers covering a variety of subjects. (FL)

Proposes that writing to published authors deepens students' understanding of children's literature and gives them a greater awareness of writing techniques. Suggests that when letter writing takes place within the context of a writing workshop, it is an effective strategy for literacy growth. Outlines how to choose authors, find addresses, and…

Describes a project in which students write their own notes, postcards, and invitations from storybook characters to other book characters. (SR)