Teaching Language and Literature in Elementary Classrooms

Book excerpt: The goal of this book -- a theoretically based, well-organized, useful guide for teaching -- is to help the beginning teacher create a classroom environment that integrates literacy development with learning in all areas of the curriculum. The major components of an integrated language program are identified, and the skills teachers need to implement this kind of program in their own classrooms are described. Designed to be kept and used as a resource in the classroom, this text provides fundamental information about language arts teaching. A constructivist orientation, an emphasis on teachers as reflective decision makers, and vivid portrayals of the classroom as a community of learners and inquirers are woven throughout the book. Key features include: * a wealth of models, suggestions, and step-by-step guidelines for introducing integrated teaching and learning practices into elementary classrooms at the kindergarten, primary, and intermediate levels; * a focus on relevant research in language arts and professional teacher development; * true-to-life classroom narratives that model instructional strategies and demonstrate interactions between real teachers and students; and * an innovative chapter format that makes the text accessible as a resource for student, beginning, and experienced teachers.