Discusses the whole-language teacher's role in the development of children's writing and creating a positive writing environment in the classroom. (MG)

Class collaboration and small group composition illustrate the embedding of cooperative learning theory in whole language classroom events. Through this experience all students participate in active learning. The teacher has a weighty role in decision making, setting of the lesson, assigning roles, and monitoring segments of cooperative learning…

Presents some solutions to the problem of working with new limited English proficient students in a junior high school developmental reading class. Characterizes the plan as similar to that used for beginning English speaking reading. (RS)

Discusses the role of the intermediate whole-language teacher, including creating a proper environment, emphasizing meaning, encouraging risk taking, providing sufficient learning time, focusing on students, encouraging collaboration, using whole pieces of language, using the best literature, teaching skills in context, evaluating, and integrating…

Noting that current theory and practice in literacy education emphasizes the importance of student independence, autonomy, and choice (commonly referred to as "ownership"), this book presents 14 essays that discuss what ownership means and how teachers can encourage students to take responsibility for their learning. Although student…

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…

Guided story invention is a strategy for whole language instruction. The strategy stimulates construction of story and storylike passages, and incorporates: (1) student knowledge of story structure; (2) the reading and writing of meaningful text; (3) a focus on meaning as a function of teacher coaching; and (4) encouragement of self-monitoring of…

Describes one morning's reading and writing activities in a first grade classroom to provide an example of how one whole literacy teacher mediates children's learning. (MG)

Assesses the debate between the process writing/whole language approach to literacy education and genre-based writing instruction. Explains that the former stresses ownership and voice and the latter identifies and linguistically describes the genres used in school and proposes a curriculum model for teaching writing. (SK)

One of the greatest advantages of teaching first graders to read and write using a whole literacy approach is the flexibility the method provides for meeting the needs of each individual learner. Children use their dictated language as the text and work within small groups. Children can join any group working at an appropriate level or work…

An assistant principal for elementary instruction implemented a 10-week practicum intervention designed to use teacher in-service sessions to encourage the provision of daily opportunities for journal writing to kindergartners and first graders. In-service sessions offered: (1) an overview of highlights of related research; (2) approaches to the…

This book explains the whole language philosophy of learning to read and how it can be applied in special education classrooms to assist students with learning disabilities. Chapters address: (1) an overview of the whole language approach; (2) examples of how special education teachers use whole language to teach children with learning…

Examines how changes in the view of the universe led to whole-language learning, a collaborative process which considers the social contexts of language. Suggests that whole language is not a teaching method but a belief and discusses how to transform teaching into a learning experience. (SM)

Based on years of classroom observation, this book presents the thesis that powerful, critical, active, productive literacy can be achieved systematically, and regularly, with large numbers of the school population, if the principles currently known as the whole language approach are applied. The book is based on the assumptions that learning to…

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.…