Whole language is a response to the increased knowledge base about language, literacy, and learning. Whole language educators believe that teachers should have direct access to this knowledge base and be supported in their efforts to use it to inform instructional decisions. This response stands in contrast to more traditional responses in which…

Although the whole language perspective requires no money, it does involve "kid watching," or knowledge of individual class members and their interests. As the experiences of two elementary teachers illustrate, educators need only look to their own backyards and to past/present historical events for rich instructional material. Includes three…

With the current emphasis on whole language, the use of children's literature as the basis for reading instruction is widespread. Theme units have been suggested as one way to provide stimulating opportunities for children to explore and learn. Whole language based literature theme units emphasize process more than product. Units are designed to…

This book highlights ways in which science instruction benefits from the perspectives of teachers committed to whole language. The introductory chapter starts from a viewpoint outside the classroom and seeks to identify overall patterns while the remaining chapters build from experiences in individual classrooms. This book assumes that teachers…

Literature based reading can be used as a means of introducing and reinforcing geographic concepts. Every story has a setting. The setting is the time and place. Setting is representative of the five fundamental themes of geography. Teachers can integrate geographic skills in order to enhance the student understanding of the text. Geographic…

Discusses the advantages of using a holistic language approach, its relationship to middle school theory, and guidelines for its implementation. Suggests that holistic language literacy approaches hold great promise for the middle grades. By integrating language skills and using real literature and authentic activities focused on students'…

Pointing out that understanding, considering, preparing, modeling, teaching, collaborating, assessing, and supporting are steps along the path to using literature in the classroom, the essays in this book provide a solid background for those teachers who are considering making the transition to literature-based instruction in their classrooms.…

Explains the whole language program and lists the roles of learning resources centers and teacher-librarians. Topics include flexible scheduling; collection development; teaching students the use of information; multidisciplinary approaches; cooperation between teachers and teacher-librarians for selecting materials, planning activities, and…

This paper describes the development of a course that would improve instruction for preservice teachers and for elementary school students through "real world" integration of reading and the related processes of listening, speaking, and writing. "Integrated Language Arts Instruction in the Elementary School" is presented as a model for field-based…