Considers creative writing a vital component of an effective language arts program for children in grades four, five, and six. Discusses the content, activities, and evaluation of a creative writing curriculum. (RL)

Describes how some student teachers and cooperating teachers guided pupils in learning phonics through a study of rhyming poetry. Discusses class activities involved in teaching couplets, triplets, imagery in poetry, quatrains, alliteration, limericks, and onomatopoeia, and the rhyme and phonics elements involved. (SR)

Discusses, in the form of a dialogue between parents and teacher, the relationship of listening to speaking, reading, and writing. Describes several classroom techniques to reinforce listening for a purpose. (SR)

Presents comparisons between the traditional curriculum and the essential learnings curriculum implemented at the Moss Point School District in Moss Point, Mississippi. Describes in detail the curriculum transformation process. Provides insight into the role of technology in the reading/language arts curriculum. (RS)

Presents guidelines for teaching spelling, focusing on the issue of whether spelling instruction should be formal or informal, the use of word lists, efficient instructional procedures, effective methods for studying words, the need for systematic improvement of retention, and integration of spelling and writing. (RAE)

Argues that a child-centered language arts program encourages individualization of instruction, because language arts work can be easily adjusted to each child's nature and needs through flexible program schedules, child-teacher planning, and the unit teaching approach. (RB)

Suggests ways to improve the quality of language arts instruction in this lighthearted presentation of the objectives and resolutions of a mythical international language arts association. (VJ)

This pilot descriptive study examined expressed perceptions of a diverse group of teachers who, in the 2002-2003 school year, piloted implementation of a new standards based supplemental program in reading/language arts, EduSTRANDS. Over 600 teachers in 153 schools using a supplemental, standards based reading/language arts program were surveyed…

Demonstrates the criterion validity of the "Oral Language Manual" that is part of the Cultural Linguistic Approach, a component of the National Follow Through Program. (RL)

Advocates inclusion of moral issues as part of curriculum planning. Argues that children need encounters with moral issues as part of their schooling experiences. Presents four metacognitive strategies for promoting moral thinking about children's literature in language arts and beyond schooling. Includes recommendations for classroom…

States that current trends encourage the integration of the curriculum which provides challenges for software programs that have been considered in other curricular areas. Finds that word processing software programs have the capability to not only enhance the mathematics program but also to integrate language arts into this instruction. (PA)

Describes the cooperative learning technique and the advantages of using the technique. Presents the most widely used cooperative learning techniques and describes those suitable for the reading/language arts classroom. (MG)

Provides relevant background information about the hemispheric nature of the brain. Presents a framework for resulting practical implications for elementary school language arts. Notes that both prospective and practicing elementary school teachers should find this linkage of theory and practice beneficial as they help children gain language arts…

Discusses Guam's unique multicultural student and teacher population. Describes two classroom language arts activities (the method of taped repeated reading and "write around") that have met with success and continue to gain momentum in Guam's classrooms. (RS)