Language Arts - Volume 89, Issue 3, 2012

Many educators teach students that are reluctant about the revisions process in writing. However, this longitudinal study follows a group of students from kindergarten through 8th grade who embraced the importance of the revision process.

Imagine walking through a Lenape longhouse on your way to class in the morning, or passing a life-size tree in the center of the hallway on your way to lunch! At the James Weldon Johnson Leadership Academy in East Harlem, New York, administrators, teachers, students, families, and community-based artists worked together to create a visually explosive environment that reflected enriched learning experiences based on their multidisciplinary study of New York’s history. Learn more about the integrated curriculum approach using visual art, nonfiction literacy, and content area learning to provide children with broader avenues for their expressions of learning.

The authors explore new books about writing for audiences in early childhood through adolescence. These books provide clear direction on who must control learning: the teacher and the learner. Only a teacher who understands language, learning, and diversity can meet the needs of today’s diverse writers.

This children's literature review column highlights books with protagonists who write for myriad reasons. It also includes biographies of famous and unsung writers.

This enlightening conversation between Harste and Kress includes various topics, such as visual literacy, semiotics, and critical literacy. The two also provide helpful tips for language arts teachers.