This document is comprised of the 30 issues of volume 2 of learning guides for parents providing suggestions regarding activities to assist their kindergarten and first grade children be successful in school. Each learning guide is organized similarly and contains: (1) a message to parents regarding their role in helping their children succeed;…

This book is the second in a series of thematic units designed especially for children who are deaf and hard of hearing in kindergarten through the elementary grades. The unit focuses on sea creatures and is divided into seven sections. Five sections contain lessons on particular sea animals including whales, turtles, starfish, octopuses, and…

Part of a series, the purpose of this low-readability/high interest book is to provide instruction and practice in using higher order thinking to develop students' reading comprehension skills. The reading skills addressed in the book are based on state reading standards and assessment tests for grades seven and eight. The goal of this series of…

A study investigated the organization and development of second language lexicons among Hong Kong learners of English as a Second Language (ESL). Specifically, it compared the associations promoted by a single list of 20 frequent, common words in the learners' native language (L1, Chinese) and second language (L2, English). Subjects were 22…

This booklet presents many examples of instructional activities that occur on a daily basis on the campuses of Spotlight Schools, schools identified by the Texas Education Agency as having student populations that reflect a diversity of ethnicity and socioeconomic backgrounds, and demonstrate that essentially all children can become readers. It is…

The purpose of this document is to help teachers, schools, and districts see clearly the relationship between California's English Language Arts (ELA) and English Language Development (ELD) standards and to design and implement an articulated and integrated system of instruction and assessment for English learners. ELA standards are written by…

This report provides K-12 educators with instructional strategies that research shows have the greatest likelihood of positively affecting student learning. The 12 chapters include: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Identifying Similarities and Differences (comparing, classifying, creating metaphors, and creating analogies); (3)…

Based on Charles Dickens' novel "Great Expectations," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand the differences between totalitarianism and democracy; and a that a writer of a story considers theme, plot, characters, setting, and point of view. The main activity of the lesson involves students working in groups to…

Based on Henry David Thoreau's book "Walden," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that acquisitiveness and simplicity can be opposing life philosophies; and that both philosophies have had notable adherents. The main activity of the lesson involves students researching historical characters (including Thoreau)…

Written to help all teachers provide balanced literacy instruction for all students, this book provides strategies and sample lessons for both direct and indirect literacy instruction. Four complete pieces of literature are provided with updated sample lessons: "Jamaica Tag-Along"; "Mummies, Tombs, and Treasure"; "My Brown…

Emphasizing both the blend of theory and practice and especially the interrelatedness of the language arts, this book presents a practical approach to help teachers effectively implement a dynamic language arts program. New to this sixth edition: each chapter begins with objectives and is followed by a scenario that sets the stage for what is…

A study investigated whether the use of etymology as an instructional technique for vocabulary development in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction is equally effective for students from Romance and other language backgrounds. Subjects were 20 community college ESL students in two cohorts. Pre- and posttests assessed etymological…

The effects on reading comprehension of prior cultural experience were assessed in a study of 72 advanced ESL students reading about Halloween. Prior cultural experience was found to be helpful, but exposure to meanings of target vocabulary words had no significant effect on comprehension. (Author/MSE)

Describes a lesson plan model for teaching adults to read. The four phases of the model (reading to the student, silent reading, oral reading by the student, skills work) are presented, their significance explained, and activities and references provided. An annotated bibliography follows the model. (CT)

Examined the effect of homonymity on children's use of semantic context to derive word meaning. The study presented participants (preschoolers, second graders, and college students) with stories including nonsense words, familiar words used accurately, and homonymous words. Results suggest that homonymity inhibits children's tendency to derive…