Selected papers from the 1991 annual conference of the American Reading Forum are presented in this yearbook. The papers, which deal with issues regarding ways to develop and strengthen a society of active readers, address policies, procedures, and programs for the beginning child reader, the beginning adult reader, and a range of readers in…

Designed to promote literacy development, this guide provides suggestions for setting up classroom environments that assist preschool and primary school teachers in providing literacy events and activities related to books. General suggestions included in the guide are accompanied by photographs illustrating the suggested activity or environment.…

Designed for use with elementary students, 44 activities using a restaurant theme integrate creative thinking and decision-making skills with language arts, mathematics, and art. The activities, which can be used independently by the students, deal with types of restaurants, names and themes, floor plans, interior and exterior design, house…

A guide for curriculum development in New York City's French second language programs to be piloted in junior and senior high schools contains six cultural theme units for level 1 and the grammatical structures in French for levels 1-3. The cultural theme units are designed to be used as a core for the acquisition of language patterns, vocabulary,…

A student program to combat chronic absenteeism, suspension, and behavior problems was implemented in September, 1972, at Memorial Junior High School in San Diego. The major aim of the program is to develop a small school environment to foster the growth of the whole student. Objectives focus on helping students develop a positive attitude toward…

A program developed by the Center for International Studies (CIS) at Cornell, focusing on world-based, political problems was evaluated for the ongoing improvement of the program. Of particular interest was whether the program was meeting its characterized goals of interdisciplinary content, problem orientation, and team teaching at the…

A small team of social studies and English teachers in a small high school developed a unique American studies program. Activities dedicated to a better comprehension of American culture follow a humanitites approach in the use of music, literature, art, architecture, photography, history and the social sciences. Units are organized on a thematic…

The five month course of study for grades 9 through 12 offers activity guidelines and a variety of resource materials on American ethnic groups of Chinese, Irish, Italian, and Jewish persons. Focus is upon the cultural diversity of the American people, and the adjustments and contributions of the ethnic groups. The aim of the course is for…

Examines three strategies designed to help middle school students use text structures to comprehend expository text: (1) hierarchical summaries, (2) conceptual maps, and (3) thematic organizers. Summarizes advantages and disadvantages of each strategy and recommends that teachers consider the outcomes they want and select the most appropriate…

When your school wants to do more to improve the literacy skills of secondary school students, here's a leadership plan that takes your program in a bold, new direction. Instead of focusing on isolated teaching strategies and textbooks, the authors introduce you to a whole-school program that emphasizes: (1) Exposing students in all subjects to…

Intended as a resource for elementary and middle school teachers for use in literature focus units, reading and writing workshop, or thematic units, this book contains new instructional strategies such as interactive writing, story retelling, and word sorts. The book offers a grid recommending the most appropriate usage for each strategy,…

In child-centered education programs, children construct their own knowledge from their experiences and interactions with the world around them, and teachers foster children's growth and development by building on children's interests, needs, and strengths within a safe and caring environment. The Step by Step educational partnership developed a…

One of the primary themes of this drama unit is to help students develop an appreciation and respect for diverse traditions. The unit focuses on Jerusalem in the state of Israel, where Jews, Moslems, and Christians find religious inspiration within the walls of the Old City. According to the unit, it is important that students be able to…

Suggesting that students in the intermediate grades can explore the world around them and practice valuable skills in spelling, reading, writing, communication, and language, this book presents cross-curricular units designed to integrate language-arts activities into the study of where and how people live. The units in the book reach diverse…

Intended to encourage children of all ages to read over the summer, this manual presents library-based programs, crafts, displays, and events with a medieval theme. The chapters of the manual are: (1) Introductory Materials; (2) Goals, Objectives and Evaluation; (3) Getting Started; (4) Common Program Structures; (5) Planning Timeline; (6)…