The newspaper is an excellent tool for use at home to reinforce reading and writing skills. Suggestions for celebrating holidays and special occasions using newspapers are offered. (MT)

As parents adapt to meet today's changing definition of literacy, they are often left with many questions about what is happening in their child's classroom. To help address parents' concerns, this guide uses clear, everyday language and classroom examples to explain and illustrate some of the key concepts and terms in literacy acquisition and…

Written as a resource for teachers, parents and poets working with young children, this publication offers advice about providing experiences with poetry to young children. Material focuses on the "frolicsome use of language,""snap-shot poetry experiences," and classroom poetry centers. Seven references are cited, and a bibliography provides 10…

This guide for parents indicates ways in which they can help their childen succeed in school. Sections focusing on language arts and mathematics list skills that students are required to master in kindergarten through fifth grades and suggest language arts activities for parents to implement at home. (RH)

Predicated on a belief that assessment and evaluation should be vital, planned aspects of the curriculum, this booklet describes classroom-based assessment that serves to inform teachers, students, and parents of the learner's growth as well as to suggest next-step instructional goals. Procedures developed by classroom teachers which integrate…

Contains two motivational tools, a Kind Award and a Pass-It-On poem, which are designed to encourage children to be kind to animals. Includes examples on how to use the tools, and reproducible masters to be used in both instances. (TW)

The Texas State Board of Education adopted the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum to ensure that all students meet the challenges of life in the new century. The information in this guide summarizes the TEKS expectations at each grade level in the foundation areas of English Language Arts and Reading, Mathematics, Science, and…

The article examines ways to differentiate the material used in a reading program for gifted students (birth to age 9). Suggested books are provided for the following categories that correspond to recognized characteristics of gifted children: vocabulary (quality retellings of folk tales, word play, poetry, satire, and nuances of language);…

This multi-purpose book is for teachers, librarians, and parents who want to develop children's awareness of environmental matters while building and refining their language arts skills. In response to the challenge for school districts to integrate environmental education into the curriculum, this book presents environmental awareness topics to…

Pointing out that the label of dyslexia carries an acute stigma of mental incompetence (and the researcher/author is herself dyslexic), this booklet intends to provide educators and parents with a frame of reference regarding the topic of dyslexia. Defining dyslexia broadly as "characterized by a consistent difficulty with processing…

Intended for those practitioners and parents who have heard the term "whole language" but who really know little or nothing about it, this booklet looks at the learning or acquisition of language, which includes the processes of thinking, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Chapters in the book, after an introduction, are, as…

This report, intended for teachers, administrators, school board members, parents, community leaders, and other concerned leaders, provides a rationale for the restructuring of elementary school education and makes specific recommendations for realizing that vision. The introduction discusses the need for educational changes in light of…

Provides some activities that are designed to help students understand some of the reasons why parents sometimes refuse to let their children have pets. Includes mathematics and writing lessons, a student checklist, and a set of tips for parents. (TW)

This video is one of a four-part series which is designed to introduce teachers and parents to standards and teaching in a standards-based environment, and aims to help teachers and parents understand how teaching with standards can change classrooms, work assignments, and student performance. This video focuses on classrooms where the teachers…

Effective parental involvement extends itself beyond the classroom and into the home by providing academic support. Indeed, parents must be committed to strengthening the partnership between the home and Mississippi's schools. This curriculum guide, with a clear, easy-to-follow design, is intended as a resource guide to help parents understand the…