During her first two years of teaching, a kindergarten teacher (first author) developed a writing program grounded in five instructional strategies that repeatedly appear in emergent writing research--modeling, Scaffolded Writing, invented spelling, word walls, and reader response--and in the overarching principle of Gradual Release of…

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…

Represents an exchange of "official notices" on the uses and misuses of workbooks in the teaching of writing. (MKM)

Describes how to initiate research projects by having students work with a grid, or QUAD (questions, answers, details). Notes that this approach helps students learn that research stems from asking clear questions about the world around them. (MG)

Outlines how teachers can motivate students and narrow the gap between school and home by using students' anecdotes about their families for reading or writing activities. Notes that this exercise also helps bridge the gap between spoken and written language. (MM)

Describes a writing activity in which students write and perform their own television shows. (MM)

Describes how students enjoy poetry by writing cinquain poems. Provides an example lesson leading to a completed cinquain poem about tulips. (MM)

Describes how "speedwriting" requires that all learners become actively engaged in their own learning because, rather than generating ideas orally, students are instructed to write down all their ideas as quickly as they can. Considers how the social engagement of discussion and the sharing of ideas during the writing phase drew even the…

Outlines a series of activities using story writing to teach first grade students about story structure. (MM)

Describes a successful writing activity to help students become confident reporters for a classroom newspaper. Notes that this assignment incorporates several writing styles and literary devices. (MG)

Describes how writing personal newsletters to parents helps students practice and master language arts skills in a meaningful context. Provides a sample information "web" for one of the newsletters. (MM)

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Have you ever had trouble getting children to write stories? One technique that works well is group writing. (1) Divide the class into groups of five or six. (2) Give each child in a group a mimeographed copy of a story starter--just a sentence or an opening paragraph. (3) Have the children read the…

Describes an integrated writing curriculum guide--"Children's Literature: Springboard to Understanding the Developing World"--developed by the Development Education Committee of UNICEF Ontario. Reviews the guide's units on African folktales, global interdependence, Latin American city life, and India. Asserts that children's literature…

Presents a strategy to improve students' comprehension of content material by having them read, discuss, and give written responses to items pertaining to short content texts. (MG)

Explains how and why journals were chosen as a component of literature group reading. Shares excerpts from the journals of several children. Draws conclusions about the value of journals in contrast to more conventional written assignments. (MG)