ISSUES IN LANGUAGE ARTS EDUCATION
This section addresses some questions that parents naturally have about the curriculum of language arts and addresses some shortcomings in the teaching of English in the United States. Schools, schools. Although some institutions do a great job and you may find some of these problems in your own school, you will certainly not be alone if much of what follows is discouragingly familiar. In any case, these discussions should help you become a more informed consumer of education.
PHONICS VERSUS WHOLE LANGUAGE: H...
Nothing creates stronger passions for educators or parents and policymakers than the question of how to teach children how to read. Which is better for your child: phonics or the approach to ” full language? ” In phonics, children learn the ba...
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WHEN SHOULD STUDENTS START TO RE...
Instead of the first grade, kindergarten is increasingly seen as the place where children should start learning to ” read. ” This shift has led to debate among educators who specialize in ” early childhood. ” Many worry that an ear...
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SHOULD SCHOOLS GROUP CHILDREN AC...
Many teachers divide their classes into small groups when the formal reading instruction begins. Students are assigned to groups based on their ability to read and develop their language. The groups can read various books or read the same book at differen...
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WHEN SHOULD CHILDREN LEARN TO WR...
Most preschools and kindergartens teach kids the concept of ” writing ” by moving magnetic letters, drawing pictures that tell stories and dictating stories to the teacher. Most kindergartens help boys and girls learn how to print their own na...
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WHAT IF THE TEACHER DOES NOT COR...
Little Kelly comes from school with her latest composition proudly. “My dogs nam is Hapyy. He likes to brk. My dad covrs his eers when he brks.” The top of the page is adorned with a big gold star and the teacher’s comment: “Good ...
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HOW IMPORTANT IS PENMANSHIP IN A...
” Students cannot write today, ” says Edward Ericson, who teaches English at Grand Rapids College, Michigan. ” No, I don’t mean they cannot combine words into phrases and string phrases into paragraphs. This is old news: I mean the...
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WHAT IS THE PLACE OF WESTERN LIT...
In the learning goals of your school for language arts, you will probably see statements such as ” Students will read texts from authors of various ethnic, racial, socioeconomic and gender backgrounds ” or ” Students will be introduced t...
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IS MY CHILD REALLY LEARNING TO U...
Part of the job of an English teacher is to help students understand and value writing. However, in certain classrooms, you can find trends that interfere with these lessons. One trend is to ask students to read primarily with a view to contemporary socia...
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SHOULD SCHOOLS PLACE EMPHASIS ON...
Marilynn Bland, a former member of a school board in Maryland, was concerned that schools do not teach language skills sufficiently. One morning, for example, she listened to teachers in improper English in an elementary school hall as a student, and nob...
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WARNING SIGNS OF A WEAK LANGUAGE...
Look for the following signals that something is wrong in your school: little or no evidence of teaching phonics in primary schools reading assignments that are easy, uninspiring or chosen for reasons of political correctness; few children’s literat...
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