Holistic, Integrated Approaches to Reading and Language Arts Instruction: The Constructivist Framework of an Instructional Theory

2004 ◽  
pp. 25-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Cambourne
Keyword(s):  
Language Arts ◽  
Instructional Theory ◽  
Language Arts Instruction ◽  
Integrated Approaches

scholarly journals Why Teachers Select Specific Literacy Assignments and Students' Reactions to Them

1993 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel D. Miller ◽  
Treana Adkins ◽  
Mary Louise Hooper
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Elementary Teachers ◽  
Language Arts ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Fourth Grade ◽  
Achievement Test ◽  
Extrinsic Rewards ◽  
Language Arts Instruction ◽  
Student Interviews

This study evaluated the literacy assignments elementary teachers use in their reading and language arts instruction, the reasons why they use a particular assignment, and how students react to different assignments. The project was initiated by teachers (three third-grade and three fourth-grade) and their principal because they believed students failed to see how various reading and language arts skills were related to one another, had difficulties applying such skills whenever they had to read or write lengthy prose, and did not want to complete assignments unless they received extrinsic rewards. Furthermore, teachers said teaching was no longer as satisfying as it had been in previous years. To evaluate their concerns we examined whether their literacy assignments included those characteristics that foster student learning and motivation and we interviewed the teachers and principal about why they believed teaching was no longer as satisfying as it had once been. Interviews indicated that teachers and the principal believed accountability pressures to increase standardized achievement test scores strongly influenced their school's reading and language arts instruction. Teachers said they attempted to raise students' scores by emphasizing the standardized achievement test skills. To maximize skill coverage, teachers said they avoided literacy assignments that required the reading of lengthy texts, sophisticated writing, and lengthy discussions. Evaluations of their literacy assignments confirmed their statements; students seldom completed classwork which required sophisticated writing or reading. Student interviews showed that they were bored with these assignments or did them because they expected extrinsic rewards. Whenever they completed a more complex literacy assignment (i.e., those that required the writing of single or multiple sentences or paragraphs), students said they were challenged and enjoyed learning for learning's sake. Discussion focuses on the implications of these findings for school improvement studies and students' learning and motivation.

Have you Heard? Newsworthy items from the field

2018 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-61
Keyword(s):  
Language Arts ◽  
English Language ◽  
State Legislatures ◽  
College Education ◽  
State Standards ◽  
Colleges Of Education ◽  
Federal Financial Aid ◽  
Language Arts Instruction ◽  
Scholarship Program ◽  
The Common

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) released a report on the teacher preparation, research, and service happening at colleges of education. Far fewer U.S. students than European students are studying foreign languages. A study of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program shows reduced math achievement among students using vouchers to attend private schools. Education Week presents stories of and data on incidents of hate and discrimination in schools. Students can now use their mobile devices to apply for federal financial aid for college. Education Week is tracking teachers who are running for state legislatures. A Thomas B. Fordham Institute survey examines whether and how English language arts instruction has changed since the launch of the Common Core State Standards.

scholarly journals Exploring the amount and type of writing instruction during language arts instruction in kindergarten classrooms

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia S. Puranik ◽  
Stephanie Al Otaiba ◽  
Jessica Folsom Sidler ◽  
Luana Greulich
Keyword(s):  
Language Arts ◽  
Writing Instruction ◽  
Language Arts Instruction

Formalist thinking and language arts instruction

1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 855-870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Pajares ◽  
Laura Graham
Keyword(s):  
Language Arts ◽  
Language Arts Instruction

The Effects of Inference Instruction on the Reading Comprehension of English Learners With Reading Comprehension Difficulties

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 259-270
Author(s):  
Colby Hall ◽  
Sharon Vaughn ◽  
Marcia A. Barnes ◽  
Alicia A. Stewart ◽  
Christy R. Austin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Arts ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Inference Generation ◽  
Language Arts Instruction ◽  
Rigorous Research ◽  
Business As Usual ◽  
Average Readers ◽  
Below Average Readers

Inference skill is one of the most important predictors of reading comprehension. Still, there is little rigorous research investigating the effects of inference instruction on reading comprehension. There is no research investigating the effects of inference instruction on reading comprehension for English learners with reading comprehension difficulties. The current study investigated the effects of small-group inference instruction on the inference generation and reading comprehension of sixth- and seventh-grade students who were below-average readers ( M = 86.7, SD = 8.1). Seventy-seven percent of student participants were designated limited English proficient. Participants were randomly assigned to 24, 40-min sessions of the inference instruction intervention ( n = 39) or to business-as-usual English language arts instruction ( n = 39). Membership in the treatment condition statistically significantly predicted higher outcome score on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test Reading Comprehension subtest ( d = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.16, 1.03]), but not on the other measures of inference skill.

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