Offers experiences with collaborative book discussions that stemmed from literature circles or communities of book talkers. Shows what collaboration looks like when discussants come together around a book as in the Book Club approach. Illustrates how teachers can lead students to apply what is learned in literature to their own lives, both inside…

Argues that teachers need to be aware of the effect adult illiteracy has in their classrooms. Discusses identifying low-literate parents, what to do next, and ways to support low-literate parents. (SR)

Outlines a series of eight defense mechanisms teachers typically employ in parent/teacher conferences. Offers alternative approaches that teachers can practice and consider prior to conferences. (MG)

Describes a project where the author worked with students twice a week to observe and document types of collaboration that took place during writing workshops. Presents evidence to identify types of collaboration. Discusses these observations and delineates classroom components that allow these interactions to take place. Considers types of…

Describes how a third-grade teacher used a parent journal to keep parents aware of what was happening in school and to give them an open forum in which to ask questions, make comments, or express feelings. Notes that dialog journals can improve home-school communication and foster positive connections. (SR)

Offers Home Literacy Ideas--practical suggestions that involve children in home literacy. Discusses classroom activities and ideas for supporting literacy at home. (SR)

Explores an instructional approach, Internet Project, which prepares children for their literacy future in a world where change is a defining characteristic of literacy and learning. Concludes that during Internet Project, students help to identify important problems, gather and critically evaluate information, use the appropriate information to…

Describes a committee project for use with any grade or ability level that will help students enjoy poetry and learn how to work together at the same time. (FL)

Describes a teaching model designed to develop reading comprehension and learning strategies through cooperative learning. Discusses benefits to students and offers suggestions for implementing the model. (FL)

Asserts that children's literacy development depends on the literacy environment at home. Provides suggestions for creating an environment which encourages literacy development. Notes that teachers should share these suggestions with parents. (MM)

Describes a pen pal project designed to meet the needs of a group of elementary special education students learning to become efficient users of language and of university education majors focusing on issues related to the literacy activities of nonconventional learners. (SR)

Describes how the author incorporated dialog journal writing (in which university students and elementary school partners hold weekly literature discussions by email) into her reading methods course. Discusses the planning stage, preparation of university students, preparation of elementary school students, the electronic mail discussion, and the…

Explains that the Teacher Rating of Oral Language and Literacy (TROLL) measures skills critical to the New Standards for Speaking and Listening. Notes that TROLL is used to track children's progress in language and literacy development; to inform curriculum; and to stimulate parent teacher communication. Concludes children who are busy talking,…

Describes a parent participation project in which students wrote a biography about a parent or guardian. Offers a list of family projects for each month of the school year. (SR)

Describes a service learning program with a focus on literacy called the Student Literacy Corps. Describes how urban elementary school children, college students, professors, administrators, and community members worked, shared, and learned together. Includes a sample lesson. (SR)