Argues that elementary school students need more experience with nonfiction reading materials. Describes how teachers can promote this by reading to children every day; systematically including nonfiction books, magazines, and other materials; encouraging children to include nonfiction reading during their daily silent reading time; and making…

Describes the "Message Board" activity in a preschool classroom (a voluntary sharing of important events or messages on large or student-sized chalkboards). Describes its three stages of learning; how to do it; social interaction; language development; and how it guides emergent literacy and is part of a developmental process. (SR)

Outlines the writing process. Describes various classroom writing activities that offer simple frameworks, introductions to the process, and activities involved in each stage to help young children (even primary students) effectively use the writing process, and eagerly look forward to writing and publishing. (SR)

Describes procedures for teaching Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR), in which students of mixed reading and achievement levels work in small, cooperative groups to assist one another in applying reading strategies to facilitate their comprehension of content-area text. Discusses whole-class instruction of CSR strategies, implementing CSR in…

Shares Governor Taft's literacy goals and insights with the reading professionals throughout the state who work with Ohio's young readers and their volunteer tutors. Shares the perspectives of Nancy Padak and Janet Day, members of the OhioReads Council, on the progress and promise of OhioReads. Invites readers' responses--as teachers, as…

Presents a project to develop emergent literacy awareness and increase success with reading and writing through the America Reads program. Suggests the value of early experience and interaction with print in children's reading and writing development. Finds that approaches in which systematic code instruction is included alongside meaning…

Considers how journal writing is used in primary grades to support the emergent literacy skills of young children. Reviews the literature on journal writing. Compares first grade teachers' instructional practices and perceived benefits or disadvantages of journal writing. Provides evidence that first grade teachers in the school district are using…

Reviews some basic knowledge of phonics all teachers should know. Provides instructional activities to incorporate phonics within a balanced literacy program. Recognizes different approaches to teaching phonics and the importance of phonics. Discusses the use of consonants, blends and digraphs, short vowels, long vowels, and other strange vowel…

Identifies four patterns in a fourth grader's behavior and performance that went beyond his identity as a "terror": Steve connects with others orally, returns others' acceptance, can improve his self-image, and learns in untraditional ways. Notes that his portfolio helped him to articulate a presentation of his life for himself and others,…

Organizes instructional strategies into two sets: the first focusing on teaching editing skills, and the second on teaching writing conventions unconventionally. Considers teaching writing conventions using a social constructivist approach. Presents instructional approaches that provide a framework for helping students to express their ideas…

Discusses reading and writing workshops at Green Intermediate School. Notes that Nancy Atwell's voice has become a significant thread woven into a tapestry of literacy research and instruction among others whose work has contributed to the evolution of the way educators teach children to negotiate language. (SG)

Selects and evaluates a sampling of great children's literature to ascertain what values and character messages were being communicated to readers. Indicates that Newbery books are indeed "a compelling vision of the goodness of goodness itself." Notes that character trait analysis and discussion can be a fruitful forum for increased awareness of…

Considers the origin and validity of phonemic awareness and why phonemic awareness is important. Discusses phonemic awareness in a balanced reading program, and teaching phonemic awareness. Suggests activities that promote phonemic awareness by using children's literature. Discusses assessment of student progress. Presents experiences with her…

Addresses what phonemic awareness is and asks if there are different levels of phonemic awareness. Considers activities that are best for promoting phonemic awareness and questions when a child can be assessed as phonemically aware. Discusses what lies beyond phonemic awareness for emergent readers. Describes the author's journey as a graduate…

Considers what kind of classroom environment must be created to encourage first grade students to choose to read and write. Describes how the author changed her classroom arrangement, dividing it into 7 centers: the science center; information center; computer center; library center; family room; learning center, and the writing center. (SG)