Language Arts Essentials / Edition 1

by Gail E. Tompkins

Overview

This new book from the leading name in literacy and language arts has been crafted to provide concise, critical information for teaching the language arts, backed by the most current and applicable research available. The “essentials” format gives teachers the information they need in a price- and time-conscious way. Language Arts Essentials will provide inservice teachers with the needed background information and strategies as they further their professional development.

Written by leading Language Arts author Gail Tompkins, this book is:

• Concise, research driven, critical information for the language arts.
• Very Applied - The book is divided into six parts, with each part covering the essentials, strategies, and classroom practices appropriate to the topic.
• A BRAND NEW BOOK - not just chapters of her big book. Written from the ground up to be an essentials book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780131720060
Publisher:	Pearson
Publication date:	11/11/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Gail E. Tompkins is Professor Emerita at California State Unversity, Fresno, and she continues to direct the San Joaquin Valley Writing Project. She regularly works with teachers in their kindergarten through eighth-grade classrooms and leads staff development programs on reading, language arts, and writing. In 1998 Dr. Tompkins was inducted into the California Reading Association's Reading Hall of Fame in recognition of her publication and other accomplishments in the field of reading, and recently she was awarded the prestigious Provost's Award for Excellence in Teaching at California's State University, Fresno.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Part 1: Teaching Language Arts Today

INTRODUCTION

CLASSROOM CLOSE-UP

Mrs. Miller-McColm Teachers Language Arts

ESSENTIALS

Essential #1: The 6 Language Arts

Essential #2: The Instructional Approaches

STRATEGIES

What is the Strategy?

Language Arts Strategies

Skills Are Important, Too!

What About Teaching Strategies and Skills?

CLASSROOM PRACTICES

What's the Relationship of Language and Learning?

The Goal of Language Arts Instruction

Students Today: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

Critical Literacy: Using Language for Social Action

A is for Authentic

REVIEW

The Big Ideas

Classroom Inquiry

Part 2: Listening

INTRODUCTION

CLASSROOM CLOSE-UP

Second Graders Listen to Cook-A-Doodle-Doo!

ESSENTIALS

Essential #1: The Listening Process

Essential #2: Purposes for Listening

STRATEGIES

Listening Strategies

Minilessons

CLASSROOM PRACTICES

Interactive Read-Alouds: Getting Students Engaged in Listening

Learning to "Do" School: Ways to Improve Students' Efferent Listening

Developing A Critical Ear

Does Anyone Assess Listening

REVIEW

The Big ideas

Classroom Inquiry

Part 3: Talking

INTRODUCTION

CLASSROOM CLOSE-UP

Third Graders Participate in Literature Circles

ESSENTIALS

Essential #1: Small Group Conversations

Essential #2: Levels of Questions

STRATEGIES

Talk Strategies

Minilessons

CLASSROOM PRACTICES:

Academic Language: A Key to School Success

Talking About Stories in Grand Conversations

Instructional Conversations: Using Talk to Learn

Retelling Stories to Check Comprehension

KWL Charts: Building Knowledge Through Talk

The Power of Drama

REVIEW

The Big Ideas

Classroom Inquiry

Part 4: Reading

INTRODUCTION

CLASSROOM CLOSE-UP

Fifth Graders Read and Respond to Number the Stars

ESSENTIALS

Essential #1: THe Reading Process

Essential #2: Comprehension

Essential #3: Literature Genres

STRATEGIES

Reading Strategies

Minilessons

CLASSROOM PRACTICE

The Language Experience Approach

Responding to Literature

DEveloping Students' Concept of Story

Learning to REad Informational Books

Nurturing Children's Love of Poetry

REVIEW

The Big Ideas

Classroom Inquiry

Part 5: Writing

INTRODUCTION

CLASSROOM CLOSE-UP

Mrs. Harris's Poetry Workshop

ESSENTIALS

Essential #1: Types of Journals

Essnetial #2: The Writing Process

Essential #3: Writing Genres

STRATEGIES

Writing Strategies

Minilessons

CLASSROOM PRACTICE

Never Too Young To Write: Emergent Writers in Action

Simulated Journals and Letters

How To Write a Story

Creating Multigenre Projects

Becoming a Poet

Rubrics: Teaching and Assessing Writing

REVIEW

The Big Ideas

Classroom Inquiry

Part 6: Language Study

INTRODUCTION

CLASSROOM CLOSE-UP

Mr. Martinez Individualizes Spelling Instruction

ESSENTIALS

Essential #1: Stages of Spelling Development

Essential #2: Words and Their Meanings

Essential #3: Grammar Concepts

STRATEGIES

Spelling Strategies

Vocabulary Strategies

Grammar Strategies

Minilessons

CLASSROOM PRACTICE

Teaching Students to Spell

How to Analyze Students' Spelling Development

The Story of English

Word Smarts

Why Teach Grammar?

Let's Play Sentence Games!

REVIEW

The Big Ideas

Classroom Inquiry

PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES

CHILDREN'S BOOK REFERENCES

Editorial Reviews

"The idea of pruning the language arts down to the essentials is brilliant, as most language arts textbooks these days are getting too cumbersome."

Bonnie Armbruster, University of Illinois

"I like the organization. I like how it moves from authentic, real classroom experiences to the meat on why teaching is important and why assessment should play a role in the teaching of skills. I would not rearrange anything."

Debra Price, Sam Houston State University

"I think the author is on the right track. Areas are covered in an approach that works for presenting a view of the essentials. For preservice teachers, this would make an appropriate book for a site-based language arts course where students spend less time in class and more in practicum experience in real elementary classrooms."

Cindy Wilson, Southwest Missouri State University

From the Publisher