A commonly held belief about reading instruction in the elementary grades is that students must first learn to read so that they will then utilize their reading skill to learn from written language and to acquire new ideas. Consequently most of the instructional time in the primary grades is spent in teaching students how to recognize words and…

The seven articles in this focused journal issue are concerned with choosing books for teaching and the various constraints on those choices. The first article, by Richard Lederer, discusses George Orwell's "1984" and the principles of Newspeak. His article sets the tone for the next two articles: "Beware the Misuse of…

This annotated bibliography cites selected reading materials for all age levels that present aging and the aged realistically with a full range of human behaviors. The listing is meant to serve as a resource to educators who wish to develop positive attitudes in children and in adolescents about the elderly and about themselves. Educators should…

Questions related to the teaching of Russian and Soviet literature in the second language programs in India are explored, particularly, the amount of time to be devoted to the study of literature, an appropriate method, and the most appropriate time to introduce it. Russian has been taught in India for only 30 years and only recently have…

The school librarian and the school reading teacher can and should be working together to provide an atmosphere conducive to the effective use of the school library. To do this, the librarian should learn something about the way children are taught to read and about the problems of the poor reader by consulting the reading teacher for advice on…

Concerned with the freedom to teach and learn, this document offers guideline procedures for avoiding censorship disputes and for dealing with controversies which surround these issues. The experience and advice of several superintendents, principals, librarians, teachers, and curriculum workers who have recently been involved in textbook…

The two elements of drama are action and dialogue, and both have a place in the foreign-language learning experience. They may be introduced into the classroom by means of a "drama lab," a learning activity that permits students to act out foreign language materials such as tableaus, poetry, ballads, folklore, and plays. Drama allows the student…

FLES programs are generally viewed from the vertical dimension, as the beginning classes in a continuing language program. This paper treats the horizontal dimension, the interrelationship of the foreign language program with other curricula such as literature, history, and language arts. Three current trends in language arts have implications for…

This supplement to "Portraits: The Literature of Minorities" published in June 1970, provides an annotated bibliography of literature by and about Black Americans, Mexican Americans, North American Indians, and Asian Americans. The bibliography is designed to aid teachers and librarians in recommending books to students in grades 7-12. The titles…

A course intended to upgrade essential reading and mathematics skills in students who show poor performance or negative attitudes towards school has been developed at A. Lincoln High School in San Jose, California. Called Project R-3, it seeks to motivate students by emphasizing student readiness, subject relevance, and learning reinforcement…

The lawyer representing "Concerned Women for America" discusses the real issues in the Tennessee Textbook Case, as opposed to the apparent issues. (NKA)

Evaluates the experience of participating in an Early Literacy Inservice Course (ELIC) in Australia two years after the course. Discusses early problems with scheduling and parent expectations, and shows how reading and writing instruction adapted to the problems while maintaining the process writing approach. (SKC)

How-to books can help gifted students learn the methodologies used by practicing professionals in a variety of fields. This article contains information about choosing, locating, and using how-to books, including an annotated bibliography of exemplary books in science, social science, research methodology, communication modes, and inventing and…

Offers a comprehensive set of suggestions for organizing English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Covers topics from teacher training, and curriculum design to student placement, selecting ESL materials, and using human resources. Concludes with a brief list of sources for ESL materials and information. (MM)

A study investigated the effects of having a classroom book collection on the reading comprehension, reading attitudes, and reading habits (quantity and type of books read) of 54 students of English as a second language in two middle school classes in southern California, grades 5 and 6. Approximately half of each class had access to a collection…