The default image to which many ELA standards adhere lacks the complexity and sensitivity to account for the diverse range of students that occupy ELA classrooms. For young Black men, such standards poise a unique threat as they fail to reflect the social and cultural dimensions that factor into Black male literacy practices. In so doing, Kirkland…

From penmanship, to product, to process...this article recounts 100 years of instructional practice in the US elementary writing classroom through the voices of past teaching manuals and curriculum guides. This particular tale begins at the turn of the 20th century--a time when the elementary school was firmly established in the country, and…

Urges teachers to consider the problems of left-handed writers. (DD)

Suggests that students be permitted an opportunity to attempt creative spellings. (DD)

Tracing the history of well known nursery rhymes can be a stimulating means of introducing children to poetry.

Defends the inclusion of storytelling in the language curriculum and suggests techniques for effective storytelling. (DD)

Reflects on the author's school years early in the century and her teaching career, parallel to NCTE's first 75 years, and her work within the Council. (HTH)

An article first printed in "Elementary English" in September 1953 which reviews language acquisition and development in children. (DD)

Reports on observations of classrooms serving Native American students and offers conclusions concerning the type of classroom setting and language arts program most likely to optimize the linguistic development of the students. (DD)

Suggests an approach to teaching writing that encourages children to write and eliminates error-hunting. (DD)

Presents an interview with Bernice E. Cullinan. Notes that she has been named the Outstanding Educator in the Language Arts for 2003. Notes that the recipients of this award are selected by members of the Elementary Section Steering Committee of the National Council of Teachers of English. Talks about who she is and what she feels she has…

Third grade students were asked to create symbolic representations of themselves as readers and writers using the engagement of sketch to stretch.

An interview with poet David McCord regarding children's poetry and ways of teaching it. (DD)

Suggests approaches to the teaching of figures of speech. (DD)

School libraries might be emptied if anyone who objected to a book could remove it from the shelves. (DD)