Suggesting the need for a balance between literature and intentional skills instruction, this book provides grade 3-6 teachers and administrators with a theoretical base for creating a balanced reading program and gives educators a chance to step into actual classrooms where teachers have successfully implemented effective programs. Each chapter…

This resource book, designed for use with pre-kindergarten through grade 2 students, provides an integrated approach to teaching the curriculum. Through investigation of houses as a theme, students are engaged in whole language activities in art, mathematics, science, cooking, poetry, literature, and dramatization. The guide is organized into…

In order to help adult readers with problems, it is necessary to develop an approach to teaching them that is sensitive to language and that makes explicit reference to the way language works to make meaning in texts. A language-based approach requires teachers to become more aware of the relatively invisible language system that lies behind the…

Noting that reading instruction in the last years of the 20th century is still characterized by controversy, this book presents 18 essays that examine the best available research evidence about what is known--and what needs to be learned--about the teaching of reading and how children learn to read. Topics of the essays include whole language,…

A study evaluated the effectiveness of a portfolio strategy to assess reading in the early primary grades. For a 12-week period, college students implemented portfolio assessment as they completed their reading block field experiences as part of their literacy/reading methods courses. Data included the portfolios, teacher surveys, journals of the…

A practicum was designed to create, implement, and evaluate a portfolio assessment system in a third grade classroom in a rural area of the southeastern United States, and to demonstrate to students, parents, and teachers the benefits of portfolios in complementing classroom instruction and evaluation. Standards, goals, and objectives for record…

Based on the premise that elementary students must be engaged in frequent reading, writing, and speaking throughout all areas of an integrated curriculum, this book is intended for a first course in language arts for preservice teachers. The book can also be used for courses in which reading and language arts theory and methods are combined. The…

This digest investigates seven of the most prevalent and damaging myths about literacy in the United States. In response to various claims about American elementary and secondary students' test score declines in reading achievement, the author interprets data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the International…

The Fluency First in English as a second language (ESL) project at City College (New York) began as a result of the high failure rate among ESL writing students at the college, and the fact that this kept many students from entering the regular college courses. Revision on the ESL reading and writing curricula, beginning in 1987, focused on…

This 173-item annotated bibliography contains books on literacy primarily published in 1996 in the United Kingdom, although some books are included which were omitted from the guide for the previous year. In addition to an annotation, each entry provides author's name, full title, number of pages, place of publication and publisher, and ISBN…

This module presents a 3-hour workshop in whole language theory and practice to be used for inservice training of a small group of tutors or teachers of adult reading students. Suggested group size is 6-15 people. Part I explores the background and concepts of whole language from the point of view of the psycholinguistic model of the reading…

This paper presents a model which incorporates traditional art skills into the high school science classroom. Science, art and English teachers are provided with a scheme by which science works can be incorporated into art or English classes and literary and art analysis skills can be applied in the science class. Using this model, students read,…

A formative evaluation was conducted during the first year of a whole language literacy project at Sir William Osler High School, Ontario, Canada, which serves students who have been diagnosed as functioning below grade level. Interviews were conducted to collect descriptive information from the six Osler staff members involved in the project, the…

A formative evaluation was conducted during the first year of a whole language literacy project at Maplewood High School, Ontario, Canada, which serves students who have been diagnosed as functioning below grade level. Interviews were conducted to collect descriptive information from the five Maplewood staff members involved in the project, the…

A study investigated the development of theme as five fifth-grade students read children's literature, recorded their responses in logs, and discussed their ideas in small, student-led peer groups. The five students met together as one group over the course of 5 weeks as they read historical fiction focused on Japan during World War II. Data…