This document reviews the literature about the variety of instructional methods to teach social studies concepts. Divided into five parts, part 1 investigates current curriculum goals in social studies. Part 2 examines the literature on the use of textbooks and stategies in social studies instruction. Part 3 explores the use of textbooks…

This report describes a program for the advancement of student writing skills. The targeted population consisted of elementary school students in a growing middle class community, located in a suburb of a large Midwestern city. The problem of low writing scores was documented in student writing samples, teaching observations, and scores from the…

The goals outlined in the California Language Arts Framework (1987) include a call for Language Arts instruction that promotes a love of reading through a sense of personal fulfillment, a sense of effectiveness through which students acquire a range of lifelong learning strategies that foster full participation in the world of work and the access…

A study compared the progress of children encouraged to use inventive spelling with those encouraged to use traditional spelling in their creative writing. It was hypothesized that there would not be a significant difference in the writing samples produced in terms of their length or degree of elaboration. Participants were two second-grade…

Arguing that whole language must assume a more critical edge if it is to reach its potential as a force for positive change, this book calls on educators to take action to protect themselves against threats from within and outside the whole language movement. Noting that the most obvious challenges are from critics who offer simplistic solutions…

This book highlights ways in which science instruction benefits from the perspectives of teachers committed to whole language. The introductory chapter starts from a viewpoint outside the classroom and seeks to identify overall patterns while the remaining chapters build from experiences in individual classrooms. This book assumes that teachers…

Although most learning disabled (LD) adult learners have a strong desire to enhance their writing skills, many obstacles hinder their success. Characteristics of LD students found in their writing or actions include the following: frustration; poor study/note taking skills; test anxiety; lack of social skills; a difficult time following oral…

Designed to help teachers open young minds to literature, this book presents criteria for evaluating books in all genres and their suggested classroom uses, an examination of hotly debated topics, and an overview of the significance of young adult literature. The fourth edition of the book features 30 boxed inserts containing essays by some of the…

Exploring what it means for teachers to generate curriculum with their students and to share the responsibility and joys of deciding what and how students learn, this book describes teachers' own experiences in generating curriculum that integrates social studies, literacy, and whole language. The book presents practical ideas that teachers across…

Discussing issues involved in the successful teaching of literature, this book presents essays that explore recent findings from research concerned with the teaching of literature in contemporary K-12 classrooms. The book is organized by age, special population, and special issues. Essays in the book address such issues as ability grouping,…

The goal of genre theory is to construct useful similarities between different texts. It is the meaning-making practices of a community, and particularly its system of intertextuality that determine which possible similarities will count as significant. Whether educators approach genre as a rule or a resource is a moral choice. Rules restrict,…

This paper argues that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) should be viewed as a dysfunctional relationship between an individual with certain predispositions and an environment which generates certain expectations, demands, and reactions. The paper presents a model in which: ADHD behaviors result from a combination of inherent…

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…

This paper presents a historical overview of research supporting whole language, discusses how the research is applied in kindergarten and first grade, and suggests new directions for whole language. The first part of the paper situates the whole language movement historically and offers a perspective of past research that supports the whole…

For better or worse, administrators observing classroom teaching is a leadership priority in many American schools. In a whole language environment, a variety of activities are usually occurring simultaneously. Goals are therefore needed to provide instructional direction and to clarify for observers, the teacher, and students why the students are…