Language Arts - Volume 84, Issue 6, 2007

This article demonstrates the potential for critical inquiry in twenty-first century primary classrooms. The authors (two university professors and a first grade teacher) present an overview of theory/practice relationships in Mary’s (teacher) multiethnic classroom with an emphasis on critical literacy, technology and multimodal learning. Readers are invited to journey with the authors as they come together in a community of practice with the express purpose of learning together to affect change in the classroom. One extended learning engagement, “Grandma Ruth,” illustrates how multiple literacies including digital, visual, and print literacies can be used to learn about and act upon a critical social issue.

Based on the results of a qualitative study that examined the role of talk during literacy events in a preschool classroom, this article describes ongoing talk among 4-year old children during three reading activities: reading informational text; narrating a story; and browsing over photos. The reading activities in which preschool children were engaged in talk were examined using Halliday’s (1978) model of the context of a situation. The article confirms that talk and meanings expressed are affected by what is taking place (field), who is talking (tenor) and what part language is playing (mode). This research reveals the potential of child-to-child conversations; at the same time, revealing spaces or gaps in children’s literacy understanding that can be addressed by peer and adult support. The results provide justification for further investigation of the potential of talk in determining children’s emerging understanding of reading.

Teachers can respond to the writing of students who are learning English by asking three questions about meaning. These questions identify grammatical features that are functional for writing particular kinds of texts. We draw on functional linguistics and illustrate with texts written by four fifth and sixth grade immigrant students.

This essay examines the early formulations of writing process pedagogy and notes early criticisms of this model—specifically the assumption that young writers are fundamentally similar to more experienced, even published, writers. The developmental issue remains controversial today as Anne Dyson and others make the case for the media-saturated “hybrid” texts that young writers often create. Her position on development complicates current orthodox notions of topic choice and genre in children’s writing.

Author Don Brown discusses his writing process and the choices he makes when writing biographies for children.

The NCTE Committee on Excellence in Poetry Award is charged with “exploring ways to acquaint teachers and children with poetry.” One way of doing that is to highlight the wonderful poetry being published for children each year, calling attention to new titles and new poets that children are sure to enjoy. Thus, our committee decided to highlight some of the best poetry books published during our committee’s three-year tenure, 2003-2006. This column is our selection of the 10 best poetry books published during each of those three years, based on the criteria for excellence for the award itself: literary merit, imagination, authenticity of voice, evidence of a strong persona, universality and timelessness, and appeal to children.

The diversity of current student populations calls for tackling the challenge of learning in a multi-faceted way. The three books discussed here provide resources and strategies for addressing the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students, particularly in the area of language arts. However, the books make clear that there is no one solution, recipe, or strategy that can fully address all students’ learning needs. Instead, through research, case studies, and anecdotes from real life experiences, these books offer hope and possibilities that can help us continue to open the pipeline for culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Donald Murray 1923–2006.

Poet and author J. Patrick Lewis describes his reflections on the many joys that books can be for readers.

The editors of Language Arts would like to thank the following individuals for their professional expertise and personal willingness to review submissions to this journal. Their feedback has been invaluable in shaping the content and elevating the writing of the articles published over the last year.