Organizing and Managing the Language Arts Block

Book excerpt: This book offers essential guidance to preservice and inservice teachers seeking to create, revise, or add new strategies to the teaching of the language arts block. The focus is on how to implement effective strategies in the context of a well-planned classroom and a smoothly choreographed daily schedule. In a series of vivid case studies, Lesley Mandel Morrow brings to life the methods used by exemplary teachers to create rich, student-friendly learning environments for children in grades K-4. No component of organizing the language arts block is omitted, including setting up and running classroom learning centers, assessing different instructional needs, conducting whole-class and small group meetings, and linking language arts to content area instruction. Enhancing the practical utility of the book are sample daily schedules and classroom management tips for each grade level, along with dozens of reproducible learning activities, lesson plans, and assessment and record-keeping tools.