This paper presents an evaluation of two reading methods, phonics-based instruction and whole language learning, for English Language Learners (ELLs) and discusses the learning theories, behaviorism and constructivism that are associated with each method, respectively. The study took place in a K-12 international school, with 110 Grade 1 subjects…

In teaching reading, educators strive to find the balance between a code-emphasis approach and a meaning-oriented literacy approach. However, little is known about how different approaches to literacy can benefit bilingual children's early reading acquisition. To investigate the novel hypothesis that children's age of first bilingual exposure can…

Several elementary teachers present school-tested ideas for student assessment and activities for teaching writing. The article describes how one school conducted student assessment using a new checklist system and portfolios. Information is presented on schools that integrated literature, art, life skills, math, and role playing to teach writing.…

A second grade teacher describes how a difficult student with learning disabilities blossomed over the course of the school year. The article examines her whole class approach and presents strategies for including such a student in creative writing activities. (SM)

Various word-recognition tasks were completed by 54 second-grade students from classrooms where reading instruction followed the whole-language approach or the phonics/skill-based approach. A task involving a cloze procedure favored the whole-language approach, but there were no other significant differences between groups. Contains 30 references.…

Second graders taught by the whole language approach produced better writing samples, for content and meaning, than did second graders taught by the traditional approach. No differences were evident in the use of mechanics. Sixth grade samples evidenced no difference between the two approaches. (IAH)

Previous research has examined either the effects of strategy instruction or the effects of literature-based instruction on children's literacy learning. Much less is known, however, about the combination of teacher-led strategy instruction within a literature-based framework. A qualitative case study explored what diverse second-grade students…

A year-long interpretive case study was conducted to examine a second grade teacher's beliefs and practices concerning classroom management during whole language instruction. The study was designed to determine whether the teacher's beliefs concerning classroom management matched those discussed in the early childhood literature and also whether…

Study explored differences in conversational power by comparing discourse in whole language and traditional basal second-grade classrooms. Researchers compared the contextual setting and discourse of rug-time during reading instruction in the classrooms. Results suggested two contrasts between teachers' rug-time discourse: imposed versus generated…

A 10-week practicum intervention was designed to improve second graders' spelling skills. A target group of five students who had exhibited difficulty in staying on-task and were performing a half-year below grade level was selected. Practicum goals were that 60 percent of target children would: (1) score at least 80 percent on spelling tests in…

In order for individuals to make informed decisions about their health, they must have support, information, and skills to help them understand what promotes their health and what they themselves can do to enhance health. The major goals of the Northwest Territories (Canada) school health program are: to provide factual information on the human…

An inquiry-based curriculum can become the vehicle for bringing students out into the community and bringing the larger world to the classroom. The article describes one Hawaiian teacher's elementary curriculum that encouraged talking, sharing, and collaboration and incorporated reading and writing for real purposes into the curriculum. (SM)