Describes how two eighth-grade language arts teachers ventured into the territory of vocabulary development. Describes several class activities and strategies they used to increase students' vocabulary and to make students into enthusiastic explorers and discoverers of words. (SR)

Discusses the author's goal of helping students see how mistakes in their writing distract readers and how errors have influenced the grade. Recommends the careful use of the "red pen" noting that it is easy to forget its power. Suggests that teachers use this power to help students grow as writers. (SG)

Considers how the frustration of reading student work that continued to contain errors on common words, especially homonyms, led to the development of the Spelling Unforgivables initiative at a middle school. Notes that for such an initiative to work, it takes time, consistency, and a concerted effort by all teachers. (SG)

Literacy educators are troubled by the isolated nature of many contemporary reading programs. Too often in middle school classrooms, students read alone, take computerized tests, and do not engage in authentic dialogue with peers. In this article, the authors argue that reading texts individually, while necessary, is not sufficient, and through…

Students who engage in the writing process learn to write. Period. And yet many teachers, including Lain when she was a beginning teacher, don't know how to make the time for it, how to structure it, and how to evaluate it. Here, Lain offers us the help we need by focusing on the teaching tools for introducing students to this format, the…

Discusses the influence of book club experiences on teachers. Argues that teachers simply must have a ready awareness of their own reading-as-thinking processes in order to effectively share and demonstrate them to kids. Suggests the implementation of teacher book clubs. (SG)

Notes that the author's concern is in identifying an old focus of literacy instruction and giving teachers license to leave it behind to make room for new recommended practices. Suggests that this article is a license to discard time-consuming practices to make room for more meaningful literacy activities. (SG)

Considers how to develop students' passion for language and how to get them to stop and look at word choice. Defines a "gem" as a word, phrase, or sentence that is particularly remarkable or moving. Describes working with students to notice the gems, design gem journals, write their own gems, and to create future gems. (SC)

Notes that whatever the unit, educators can include a wide range of materials: informational picture and chapter books; biographies and photographic essays; and Internet, newspaper, and magazine articles. Discusses how the use of multiple texts can help all students become a part of the same community of readers. Provides a list of references that…

Considers how to help middle school students grow in competence and confidence as writers while addressing their spelling difficulties. Presents a research study that examined instructional histories, analyzed results of spelling and visual memory inventories, and mapped the strategies and habits the challenged spellers used as well as those they…

Examines how students decide how to approach spelling questions in their writing. Suggests several strategies to help students improve their spelling abilities. Concludes that all of the strategies place the burden of responsibility on the writer--the student--to communicate effectively. Notes the importance of students shifting from inventive…

Points out the powerful basic truth that respect is a healer. Notes that fear is not a synonym for respect, and that increasing respect for kids and for adolescence itself would automatically create better communication. Argues that all literature, be it about children, teenagers, or adults, should reflect some truth about what is rather than what…

Contends that comprehension requires not just seeing the text, but seeing through the text to something that lies beyond it. Notes that comprehension is not something achieved but rather is a goal to keep working towards. Concludes that comprehending is a process of creating, often by means of multiple texts and exchanges with other readers. (PM)

Explains how to help students understand the relationship between figuring out words and the ability to comprehend a text. Describes how to solidify the word-learning/comprehension connection via explaining, modeling, and supporting transfer to independence. Concludes that explaining, modeling, and supporting transfer to independence form the…

Extends readers' theater to movie theater by asking the students to make a video production of the book "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton. Notes that the educational objectives for the project included increasing reading fluency, developing oral presentation skills, identifying the basic elements of a novel including setting, character, and plot, and…