Presents guidelines to help literacy educators adopt the organic primer approach that has been found to be effective in helping adults learn to read. (HOD)

Discusses word games and activities that encourage students to use dictionaries and alternate forms in their writing. (HTH)

An often-neglected aspect of daily language is syllable doubling or repetition, as in infant language ("nounou"), onomatopoeia ("ronron"), interjections or responses ("oui oui"), names ("Mimi"), or military slang ("coco" for "commandant"). The mechanisms and semantic functions of this phenomenon are outlined, drawing on examples from French…

An elementary school English teacher relates her school experiences, both as a child and as a teacher, to explain her attitudes toward teaching writing as communication and not as a corrected/correctable language form. (RL)

Describes the origins and characteristics of six southern dialects: (1) South Midland; (2) Florida Cracker; (3) Gullah; (4) Southern Black Dialect; (5) Acadian French; and (6) Cajun English. Suggests books representative of each that can be used to introduce these dialects to elementary children. (NH)

Describes projects using an Applied Foreign Language Component approach to incorporate foreign language study and enrichment in multidisciplinary studies, including practical guidelines for implementing such programs, forming faculty alliances, modifying courses, recruiting students, and expanding library holdings. (10 references) (Author/CB)

Reviews two case studies on the use of a content-based approach (focusing on information resources) for foreign language instruction to show that, although frequently used in advanced classes, a content-based approach can be undertaken much earlier and still pay remarkable dividends by injecting a measure of reality into language courses.…

Intended for administrators and policymakers as well as teachers, this digest explores the nature of vocabulary and its implications for classroom instruction. After defining vocabulary and discussing some of the sources of English vocabulary, the digest examines how children's vocabularies develop. It then discusses the role of vocabulary…

Students can be taught to create vivid, colorful descriptions. To train their senses and sharpen their word choices and images, they can be asked to (1) list specific adjectives to describe such an image-producing word as "ocean," (2) substitute sharply-etched verbs for general ones in a given sentence, (3) record day-to-day observations in a…

This pamphlet presents a medium which attempts to capitalize on the major strengths of all reading language approaches by incorporating the three basic teaching methods (auditory-visual-kinesthetic). The Picture-Vocabulary-Story (PVS) medium is designed to provide students with suitable experiences, knowledge of vocabulary, comprehension of what…

Describes the inventory technique, a reading tool which helps second language students to use their background knowledge and experience in overcoming the gap between native and foreign cultural perspectives. The cultural inventory worksheet helps students collect and organize cultural information in written foreign language material. (Author/CB)

A regular continuing program of creative drama can provide children with many opportunities for growth in knowledge of language. (Author/JB)

Shows how children's use of explicit oral language is related to success in learning to read and writing. Outlines a technique to teach the use of explicit language through dramatic play. (HTH)

Principles of whole-language instruction are being implemented with upper elementary students at the Nebraska School for the Deaf. Students conduct cross-genre studies involving book, stage play, and movie versions of familiar tales. The approach incorporates language arts, social studies, science, art, and speech activities. (DB)