Discusses changes in textbook publishing, attendance at professional meetings, media coverage, and the response of the "testing community" that demonstrate that whole language has become the agenda of education. Discusses the transactional view of writing, social/personal views of learning, teachers redefining themselves and their relations to…

This paper describes development of the whole language movement and the writing-process movement. It outlines 10 principles shared by both movements, such as the role of prediction, function before form, and integrated use of cuing systems. Implications for language specialists working with language-disordered students are addressed. (JDD)

Outlines the most important 20th century developments in reading instruction for young children, analyzing why an approach was tried, and presenting results of these instructional efforts. It is concluded that the current perspective that seems to meet the needs of most children is that of emergent literacy. (SLD)

Gives a history of the whole language movement. Looks at the early use of the term "whole language." Explores influences from philosophy, psychology, linguistics, and education on development of whole language. Discusses influences from early educational movements in the U.S., England, and New Zealand. (Author/BB)

This bibliographic essay and research review investigates four areas: (1) the characteristics of elementary writing instruction prior to the 80s; (2) the factors which changed writing instruction in the 80s; (3) the characteristics of elementary writing instruction in the 80s: and (4) the place of elementary and pre/in-service textbooks in the…

Information on current trends and issues in English instruction, compiled by the directors of six National Council of Teachers of English commissions, is presented in this report, the seventh annual report by the commissions. The commissions and their directors are as follows: (1) Reading Commission (Constance Weaver); (2) Commission on Literature…

Information on current trends and issues in English instruction, compiled by the directors of six National Council of Teachers of English commissions, is presented in this report, the eighth annual report by the commissions. The commissions and their directors represented in the report are: (1) Commission on Reading (Patrick Shannon); (2)…

Five approaches currently used in adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) literacy instruction are described. A group of strategies developed by Paulo Freire are participatory or learner-centered, and revolve around the discussion of issues drawn from learners' real-life experiences. The Whole Language Approach, more than a specific method or…

A collection of essays for the 25th anniversary of the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) addresses both theory and practice in the field of English-as-a-Second-Language teaching. Articles include: "Internationalism and Our 'Strenuous Family'"; "TESOL at Twenty-Five: What Are the Issues?";…