Teaching Elementary Language Arts: A Balanced Approach emphasizes the blend of theory and practice in teaching the language arts to elementary students. This edition continues to focus on the language arts as thinking processes and on students as active consumers of information. It is not solely a “theory” text, since a practical approach is emphasized throughout to help teachers effectively implement a dynamic language arts program. Controversies are explained from several viewpoints to help teachers see through “either/or” dichotomies and to recognize that there is usually no one `right' way to do things. The book stresses that good teachers are eclectics who utilize those approaches, methods and strategies that best suit the needs of their students. By explaining and analyzing the various outlooks, methods, and movements prevalent in the field, the author outlines a practical, balanced approach to teaching language arts.

Table of Contents:
Each chapter begins with an “Objectives” and a “Scenario” section and concludes with “Lesson Plan,” “Summary,” “Key Concepts,” “Suggestions for Thought Questions and Activities,” and “Selected Bibliography” sections. Preface. Prologue. Introduction: Ms. Hart to Teach the Language Arts. I.THE FOUNDATION OF THE LANGUAGE ARTS. 1.Introducing the Language Arts. What Are the Language Arts and How Are They Interrelated? Decoding and Encoding in the Language Arts. Communication and Language. The Language Arts, Thinking, and Instruction. Questioning: A Key to Higher Levels of Thinking. Metacognition. What Is a Balanced Language Arts Program? Language Arts Teacher Checklist. Literacy and the Language Arts: A Special Note. 2.Understanding Language and Concept Development in the Child. Relationship of Language to School Achievement and Other Factors. Cultural Diversity. Stages in Language Development. Motor Development and the Acquisition of Language. Concept Development. 3.The Teacher of the Language Arts Program. The Teacher as the Key to a Good Language Arts Program. Decision Making, Planning, and Materials for a Language Arts Program. Student-Teacher Planning. Teaching and the Lesson Plan. Parts of a Daily Lesson Plan. Direct Instructional Strategies. Classroom Physical Environment. Nurturing Creativity in the Language Arts Program. Authentic Assessment. Teachers and Parents Working Together. II.THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE LANGUAGE ARTS. 4.Aural Responsiveness: Listening. Importance of Listening. Levels of Listening. Relationship of Listening to Other Language Arts Areas. The Active Listener. Development of Listening. Purposes for Listening. Classroom Management for Listening Training. Teaching Tactics in Listening. Question-Asking: A Key to Active Listening. The Directed Listening-Thinking Approach. Reading a Story Aloud to Young Children (Preschool-Kindergarten). Informal Teacher Assessment of Listening Comprehension. Listening Activities for All Children. Primary-Grade-Level Listening Skills. Intermediate-Grade-Level Listening Skills. Diagnostic Checklist for Aural Responsiveness (Listening). 5.Oral Communication and Speech Improvement. Classroom Environment Conducive to Effective Oral Expression. Speech Improvement. Development of Speech Sounds in Children. Children's Speech Problems. Developing the Speech Improvement Program. Oral Expression Activities (Speech Stimulation Activities). Nonverbal Behavior: Its Role in Oral Communication and Creative Drama. Voice Usage in Oral Expression. Television: Making It Part of the Educative Process. Diagnostic Checklist for Oral Communication and Speech Improvement. 6.Word Recognition: Unlocking the Mystery. Defining Reading. Beginning Reading. What Is Word Recognition? Word Recognition Strategies. The Importance of Decoding in Reading. Phonics in a Balanced Language Arts Program. Explicit versus Implicit Phonics Instruction. A Developmental Sequence of Phonics Instruction. Graphic Summary of Word Recognition. Diagnostic Checklist for Word Recognition: Unlocking the Mystery. 7.Vocabulary Development in the Language Arts Program. The Relationship of Vocabulary to the Language Arts. Vocabulary Development and Individual Differences. Role of the Language Arts Teacher in Vocabulary Development. Vocabulary Development and Semantic Mapping (Graphic Organizer). Developing Vocabulary from Literature. Gaining Word Meanings through Context. Connotative Meanings. Completing Analogies. Defining Word-Part Terms. The Dictionary and Vocabulary Expansion. Primary-Grade-Level Vocabulary Skills. Intermediate-Grade-Level Vocabulary Skills. Diagnostic Checklist for Vocabulary Development in the Language Arts Program (Primary Grades). Diagnostic Checklist for Vocabulary Development in the Language Arts Program (Intermediate Grades). 8.Reading Comprehension and Approaches. Reading Comprehension. Illustrative Material to Enhance Comprehension. Reading Comprehension Taxonomies. Questioning to Develop Higher-Order Thinking. Reading Instruction Strategies. Reading Instruction Programs and Approaches. Diagnostic Checklist for Selected Comprehension Skills. 9.Children's Literature: Springboard for Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Viewing. What Is Good Literature? Relationship of Literature to the Language Arts. Background and Development of Children's Literature. Differences between Children's and Adults' Books. Children's Book Genres. What Is Reading for Appreciation? Importance of Providing Time for a Reading-for-Appreciation Program. Role Modeling and Reading. Setting the Environment for the Enjoyment of Reading in the Classroom. Whetting Children's Interest in Books. Criteria for Selecting Books. Children as Critics. Censorship and Children's Books. Literature Webbing. Big Books. Poetry in Children's Literature. Bibliotherapy. The School Library. The Newbery Medal and the Caldecott Medal. Diagnostic Checklist for Children's Literature: Springboard for Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. 10.Practical Aspects of Writing. Emergent Writing: Development of Writing Skills in Young Children. Writing Environment. Time for Writing. Valuing Writing. The Writing Process. Factors Affecting the Writing Process. Skills Necessary for Effective Writing. Writing for Different Purposes. Book Reports. Television Reporting. Letter Writing. Journal Writing. Outlining. Notetaking. Classroom Writing Portfolio. The Writing Conference. Authentic Assessment of Written Expression. Word Processing Programs and Writing. Diagnostic Checklist for Practical Aspects of Writing. 11.Written Expression as a Creative Act. Who Are Creative Writers? Creative Written Expression in the Primary Grades. Teacher's Role in Creative Writing. Some Ingredients for Creative Writing. Creating Poetry. Can Elementary-Grade Students Develop Style in Writing? Children's Writing. Diagnostic Checklist for Written Expression as a Creative Act. 12.Gaining Proficiency in Spelling. Historical Overview of the Teaching of Spelling. Spelling in a Balanced Language Arts Classroom: A Philosophy. Relationship of Spelling to Other Language Arts Areas. Invented Spelling. Why Can't I Spell? Developing a Spelling Consciousness. A Continuing Spelling Controversy. What Words Should Be Taught? Spelling in the School Day and Choice of Spelling Words. Should Spelling Be Taught in the First Grade? Spelling at the Primary-Grade Level. Teaching Spelling through Induction and Deduction. Noun Plural Generalizations. More Commonly Taught Spelling Generalizations: Intermediate-Grade Level. Steps in Learning to Spell. Authentic Assessment of Spelling. Possible Difficulties in Learning to Spell. Diagnosing Children's Spelling Errors. Correcting Spelling Errors in Other Subject Areas. Dictionary Skills. Diagnostic Checklist for Spelling (General). Diagnostic Checklist for Spelling (Specific). 13.Handwriting: A Communication Tool. Handwriting and Communication. Handwriting in Antiquity. Relation of Handwriting to the Language Arts and Other Subject-Matter Areas. Relation of Child Growth and Development to Handwriting. Perceptual-Motor Learning and Handwriting. Physical Environment Conducive to Handwriting. The Affective Domain and Handwriting. Creativity and Handwriting. Manuscript Writing. Teaching Handwriting in the Primary Grades. Transition to Cursive Handwriting. Presentation of Cursive Writing in the Classroom. Helping the Left-Handed Child with Writing. Evaluation of Handwriting. Computers and Handwriting: A Final Note. Diagnostic Checklist for Handwriting: A Communication Tool. 14.The Place of Grammar and Usage in a Balanced Language Arts Program. Historical Overview. Definition and Role of Grammar. Defining Usage. Defining Linguistics. Defining Traditional Grammar. The New Grammar. The Teacher and Usage. Usage Activities: An Emphasis on Diagnosis and Correction. Sentence Patterns: An Offshoot of Structural Grammar. Combining and Expanding Sentences: An Offshoot of Transformational Grammar. Teachers and Textbooks. Speaking, Writing, and Usage: A Point of View. Diagnostic Checklist in Usage for Standard English. III.ENHANCING A BALANCED LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM. 15.Organizing For Instruction. Flexible Grouping for Instruction in the Classroom. Grouping within Classes. Individualized Instruction. Learning Centers in the Classroom. Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI). Peer Tutoring. Bulletin Boards. 16.Teaching Children with Special Needs: Recognizing Individual Differences. Individual Differences in the Regular Classroom. The Average Child. The Slow Learner. The Gifted Child. Mainstreaming and Full Inclusion. Learning Disability. Students at Risk. Nonstandard English-Speaking Students: A Special Emphasis. Parental Involvement: A Final Word. 17.Language Arts in Content Areas. Language Arts Skills as a Means to Learning Content. The Directed Language Arts Approach to Teaching the Content Areas. Oral Expression in Content-Area Classes. Literature in Content-Area Classes. Writing as a Mode of Learning. Vocabulary in the Content Areas. Language Arts Errors in Content-Area Classes. Glossary. Appendix: Bookbinding for Books Written by Children. Index.