EDU 512 A - Tompkins Questions

Language Arts Patterns of Practice by Gail E. Tompkins

Chapter 1 Notes
1. Jean Piaget’s constructive framework suggest that children learn through their knowledge influenced by
their experiences, adaptions, and interactions with their environment. Piaget’s information-processing
theory emphasis how the cognitive process is utilized by learners to contemplate about what and how
they’re learning. Existing or new knowledge is filtered through the concept of schemata (multiple
categories) or schema (single category), which refers to the process of categorizing information
introduced. Knowledge, deciding factors for determining what constitutes a category, and
interconnections amongst the categories are the three schemata components. When disequilibrium
arises, both cognitive processes assimilation and accommodation function by making sense of
information and integrating it into existing schemata or creating a new schema.
2. Exercising complex thinking through the use of problem-solving mechanisms is also known as
strategies. Strategies are learned through practice and learned skills. Learning strategies are essential
for students’ success, both educationally and personally. Therefore, teachers play a tremendous part in
teaching students how to use certain strategies and when to use the most effective strategy given the
situation. Some strategies students are introduced, but not limited to, are rehearsal, predicting,
organizing, elaborating, and monitoring.
3. Social interaction enhances cognitive development. Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, suggested
that meaningful social interactions and language children encounter, are facilitators to their learning
(Tompkins, 2016, pg.5). Sociolinguistic theory generally suggests that social interactions assist children
to learn how to talk, read and write through interactions, modeling, collaboration, and conversations
with teachers and peers or others who are literate. Vygotsky also suggest that children will learn best
when working on tasks or objectives that are in their Zone Proximal Development (ZPD), engaging in
learning with tasks that are not at a frustration level nor too simple, but successfully completed with
scaffolding.
4. The four cuing systems are phonological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic systems. The phonological
system consists of the 44 speech sounds in the English language. Syntactic system is the structural
system that focuses on how words are combined into sentences. Semantic system is the system that
covers the meaning of English by focusing on vocabulary. Pragmatic system of English is that varies
according to social and cultural uses.
5. Teachers teach phonological system by teaching phonemes, graphemes, phonological awareness,
phonemic awareness, and phonics. Syntactic system is taught through learning about syntax,
morphemes, free morphemes, and bound morphemes. Semantic system is skilled through the teachings
of semantics, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones. Pragmatics system is taught through exposure of
function, standard English, and nonstandard English.
6. A community of learners refers to a classroom as a whole, where the teacher and students work together
collaboratively and purposefully in an enjoyable, respectful, and effective environment. In order for a
good community of learners to be established, teachers must institute a classroom culture that reflects
every depicted detail academically, socially, and behaviorally that will set the tone of expectations. The
teacher must carefully plan how the classroom will function in a day-to-day basis, execute the plan at the
beginning of the school year, modeling such behavior, and allow students sufficient amount of time to
adapt to those expectations. Effective community of learners consists of the teacher and students
sharing responsibility, opportunities, engagement, risk taking, instruction, demonstration, response,
choice, time, and assessment. However, the teacher is the manager and has ultimate responsibility.
 7. The only differences between online strategies and traditional literacy activities are the media being
utilized, requiring technology skills, and swiftness to information access, though, both methods have the
same expectations.
8. Students develop the characteristics of competent language users through teachers expanding students’
abilities to use the six language arts in new content along the grade-levels and providing effective
language arts instruction that consists of practices and effective learning strategies.

Chapter 2 Notes
1. The four patterns of practice are literature focus units, literature circles, reading and writing workshops,
and thematic units. The patterns of practice provide students meaningful, functional, and genuine
language-learning activities. Using all or a combination of patterns will provide valuable language-
learning opportunities for no one approach provides sufficient opportunities.
2. Teachers teach mini lessons on subject procedures, concepts, strategies, and skills to make connections
between the featured selection and instruction. Mini lessons include an introduction to a topic,
demonstration on how to use the topic, provided information about the topic, supervised practice in
small groups or partners, and assessment of learning on ability to apply the topic.
3. Social studies, science, and other content areas are how teachers integrate language arts and thematic
units. When students are learning, investigating, and problem-solving during a unit, they are using all six
language arts. Some examples are reading nonfiction books, magazines, stories, and poems. Keeping
learning logs, making visual representations, and creating projects related to the unit.
4. Teachers provide students’ support in their language arts development through scaffolding by
demonstration, guidance, and teachings. The level of students’ needs, and instructional purpose will
determine the amount of support that will be provided. The five levels of scaffolding are modeled,
shared, interactive, guided, and independent.
5. Since students’ interests, motivations, knowledge, past experiences, culture, language proficiency and
intellectual capabilities vary, teachers use differentiated instruction techniques to adopt instruction
taking students’ differences into consideration.
6. The CCSS are standards focused on preparing students that are career and college ready by providing
students with a high-quality education. Every grade level has benchmark expectations in language arts,
math, and other content areas that address all six language arts.
7. The instruction-assessment cycle occurs when teachers (1) plan instruction by determining how to
differentiate instruction depending on their background knowledge on the topic, (2) monitor students’
progression and modify if necessary, (3) use checklist, rubrics, other assessment tools, and (4) reflect on
their teaching effectiveness and how instruction can be modified to meet all students’ needs.
8. High-Stakes tests focus on identifying students’ performance against grade-level standards. Authentic
classroom assessment gives a genuine and detailed assessment on what students know, and the strategies
they can apply.

Chapter 3 Notes
1. Preschool years are when children begin the literate process by the print in their environment, such as
observing the function of text while they get read to, holding a book and turning the pages.
2. Young children learn written language concepts when parents and other caregivers read to them,
observing others read, and experiment with writing.
3. In Mrs. Schickele’s vignette, motivates students by creating positive experiences such as eating cookies
before she reads using shared reading. When children respond to the story through conversation,
comparing to other books, illustrating pictures, writing reading log entries, and participating in exploring
stage activities.
 4. The alphabetic principle is the one-to-one correspondence between phonemes and graphemes or sounds
and letters. For example, each letter represents one sound.
5. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that speech is composed of a series of individual sounds
which provides the foundation for phonics. Phonics is the relationship and patterns between the sounds
in speech (phonology) and spelling of written language (orthography).
6. Onsets is the consonant sound prior to the vowel and rime is the vowel and consonant sounds that follow
it, such as one-syllable words and syllables in longer words.
7. Teachers use big books in shared reading, small group of in whole group instruction. Big books
improve children’s reading scores on achievement tests.
8. Language Experience Approach provides an experience, discuss experiences, record the dictation, and
read the text which focuses on children’s language and experiences. Interactive writing is when teachers
and children collaborate on constructing the text to be written and then write together. Interactive
writing is when teachers collecting materials, setting a purpose, pass out writing supplies, choose a
sentence to write, write the first sentence word by word, repeat the procedure for each sentence, and
display the interactive writing.
Chapter Notes 4
1. Discriminative listening – sounds identified by students when teachers conduct activities such as
phonemic awareness, tongue twisters and the rhyming of words such as in songs/poems.
Aesthetic listening - when students take pleasure in listening when poems and stories are read orally to
them, when they watch movies or videos based on books, and when listening to plays or theatre.
Students tend to predict the outcome, create visual images and connect the story being read to them to
their own life events.
Efferent: teachers utilize this type of listening when reading non-fiction books aloud to students, when
students participate in listening centers, during lessons, and when participating in class discussions.
Critical listening – when students assess communication when listening to debates, political speeches,
television marketing commercials, and when books are read aloud to them.
2. Students utilize verbal and visual clues provided by the speaker to have a better understanding of the
message being presented to them and to monitor their understanding of the story being read to them.
Furthermore, students take the opportunity to ask themselves questions such as the reason they are
listening to the message, should they be taking notes, and is the story making sense.
3. The read-aloud activity is powerful as it provides students the opportunity to be active participants.
Student involvement is the key to engage students in the material being presented to them as oppose to
them simply listening to a story being read to them. This method stimulates students’ interest in reading,
introduces students to sounds, expands their vocabulary and exposes students to different genres.
4. Talking in small groups provides students the opportunity to enhance their knowledge while promoting
higher level thinking. Students have the opportunity to learn from other classmates by increasing
student interaction, reviewing each other’s writing, and promoting the teamwork philosophy. In
addition, they tend to have a better comprehension of the material being presented to them hence,
promoting learning.
5. Teachers utilize grand conversations to talk about stories as this method expands students’
comprehension. The grand conversation strategy is different than traditional discussions as this method
allows students to express their opinions and support their responses with examples from the text.
6. Think about “The Hare and the Tortoise” folktale and ask a question about the story representing each of
the three levels of questions.
Level 3 – Critical or “Beyond the Page” questions: How does this story relate to your own life?
Level 2 – Inferential or “Between the Lines” questions: What is the problem of the story?
Level 1 – Literal or “On the Page” questions: Who are the characters in the story?
 7. Teachers utilize the hot seat interviewing activity when teaching literature focus units and thematic
units. This activity introduces students to conducting extensive research on the topic being presented,
interviewing others or being interviewed by classmates. Students assume the role of a character from a
story and respond to classmates’ interviewing questions based on the viewpoint of the character.
8. In an effort to promote better listening skills and expanding students’ comprehension, teachers promote
student note taking. Note taking allows students to increase their understanding of the main ideas,
expand their memory, while also allowing students to utilize their notes as a reference tool.

Chapter 5 Notes
1. Reading Process
Stage 1 Prereading- provides students the opportunity to reflect and practice what they are being taught
in their personal lives by promoting a learning environment for all students.
Stage 2 Reading– students have the responsibility of shared reading enabling them to identify students’
reading ability while also introducing reading comprehension strategies such as monitoring, connecting,
visualizing, summarizing and evaluating.
Stage 3 Responding– in this stage, the teacher promotes a discussion among all students in relation to
what was read to them, promotes asking questions and asks that students relate the story events to their
personal experiences.
Stage 4 Exploring– in this stage, once students have exhausted their topic of conversation, the teacher
will redirect the conversation by re-reading a sentence from the book and asking probing questions to
promote further discussion. Furthermore, the teacher encourages students to predict how the story will
end.
State 5 Applying– students practice their writing by narrating their ideas about the story and further
relate their personal experiences to events in their own life by having the teacher ask open-ended
questions.
2. Explain how Ms. Kakutani used all five stages of the reading process in the vignette at the beginning of
this chapter.
Stage 1 – Ms. Kakutani referenced Rosie’s friendship and promoted respectful treatment towards their
classmates in an effort to provide an excellent learning environment for all students.
Stage 2 – Ms. Kakutani read the story by utilizing shared reading.
Stage 3 – Ms. Kakutani and students discussed the story. In addition, she provided clarification, taught
students how to ask questions and to how to relate their experiences to that of the story.
Stage 4 – As soon as the students’ conversation slowed down, Ms. Kakutani reread selected sentences to
encourage further discussion.
Stage 5 – At the conclusion of their discussion of the book, students applied what they learned by
writing on their reading logs. She offered questions in an effort to guide and encourage deeper thinking
of students in relation to the story.
3. Briefly explain five types of reading.
Shared reading – students are provided with a copy of the reading and they follow along when the story
is read by the teacher.
Guided reading – students are grouped depending on their reading level and receive support from the
teacher.
Independent reading – students may be allowed to select the text and they read independently.
Buddy reading – teachers team up students and they read to each other.
 Reading aloud to students – the reading is provided by the teachers while they incorporate collaborative
activities for students.
4. Revising focuses on reviewing the content of the writing by clarifying and refining the writer’s ideas in
their writing by adding, replacing and rearranging their writing while in editing, students refine their
writing by correcting the mechanics such as spelling, punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure,
word usage and formatting to facilitate the reading. Activities involved in revising may include
rereading the rough draft, reviewing the rough draft with others, making revisions based on
recommendations and consulting with the teacher. Activities in refining include getting distance,
proofreading, and correcting errors found.
5. In the Literature Focus Units, teachers organize units by utilizing the reading process. This allows
students to gain knowledge prior to reading and also provides students the opportunity to apply what
they learned.
In the Reading and Writing Workshop, teachers implement independent reading during workshop;
students are encouraged to reflect on prior knowledge and promote participation in activities. During the
writing workshop, students utilize the writing process to develop and refine compositions.
In the Literature Circles – Students are provided with the opportunity to select a book of their choice
focusing on the reading and responding stages while also encouraging participation in other activities.
In the Thematic Units – During thematic units, students have the opportunity to read both fiction and
non-fiction books. Teachers incorporate activities related to each of the reading process stages.

6. Teachers introduce the six traits by conducting short lessons explaining the characteristics of each trait
utilizing books or stories as examples. Students then identify the key elements that make a book
effective by identifying the following qualities: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency
and conventions. After students have identified and written down the qualities, students are instructed to
reread and examine others’ composition to determine how others applied each trait to their writing.
7. Teachers adapt to English learners’ writing process by assisting with the use of proper English
vocabulary words and sentence structure by utilizing prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and
publishing processes. In prewriting, teachers work collaboratively with students to brainstorm and
organize their ideas using pictures or diagrams. In drafting, students are assisted by teachers in
transforming their ideas into sentences or phrases. In revising, EL students make revisions with the
assistance of the teacher. In the editing stage, EL students focus on correcting one type of
grammar/usage error and correcting them with teacher assistance. Finally, in publishing, EL students
finalize their writing and teachers allow students to share their writings with other students in a one-on-
one or a small group setting.
8. Reading and writing are reciprocal processes because they are both constructive and forming processes.
Reading and writing processes construct meaning utilizing comparable activities at various stages.
Increased reading results in better writing and vice versa.

Chapter 6 Notes
1. Color plays a crucial role in visual language as it triggers an emotion or meaning of something. Colors
represent various meanings such as love, passion, attention alerts, danger, calmness and so forth. Colors
also are often utilized in idioms and sayings. Depending on the color used, it could represent caution,
calmness, happiness, relaxation and excitement. In addition, certain colors have numerous meanings.
Therefore, it is crucial that students are exposed to the different meanings evoked by colors.
2. Students in kindergarten through 8th grade recognize the humor symbol. Visual humor is commonly
displayed in cartoons, picture books, comic strip novels, photos and media content. Humor symbol is
displayed in Dr. Seuss books commonly used by students K-1. Whereas second grade students understand
the humor symbol of exaggeration displayed in superheroes books while third graders recognize it in
cartoons. Fifth graders demonstrate humor symbol by drawings pictures depicting items such as ice scream
enormous in size while eight graders have the ability to recognize irony.
3. Political cartoons are introduced by teachers as part of American history or U.S. government subjects. They
introduced by sharing examples of political cartoons and having students compare them to graphic novels,
comic books and/or newspaper comics. Students are then taught to interpret political cartoons by following
the interpreting political cartoons step-by-step process.
4. Art appreciation activities enhances students understanding of visual language as they expand their
observation abilities while learning better analyze visual images. In return, students achieve higher reading
ability and their reasoning development.
5. Students should examine art masterpieces and illustrations in books the same manner they examine other
texts categories. They need to utilize the viewing procedure to analyze art while also enhancing their
expressions as it relates to art. They should look at the image, analyze the image, interpret the image and
draw conclusions about the image.
6. Visual language books consist of picture books, wordless picture books, graphic novels, nonfiction books
and multi-genre books.
7. When teachers have a limited number of picture books, they resource to creating story boards. Story boards
consist of collecting two copies of a book, cutting the books apart, attaching the pages to pieces of
cardboard, laminating the cards and utilizing the cards. Story boards are displayed by placing the cards on
whiteboards or hanging them on a wire, such as a clothesline, maintaining the story’s sequence. Story
boards are utilized for activities such as visual language, story structure, and word-study activities.
8. Process drama is a creative and unprompted dramatic activity designed to expand the students understanding
and knowledge of stories they are reading, social studies subjects and current events. Students have the
opportunity to assume the roles of the characters associated in unscripted episodes or historical events. After
the role playing, students have the opportunity to reflect on their experiences as they assumed these roles.

Chapter 7 Notes
1. Old English (A.D. 950-1100)
The English language began as an intermingling of the dialects spoken by Germanic tribes in Britain,
brought by invaders. Although 85% is no longer used, it developed an indicating system for number,
gender, and verb tense. Affixes added by Anglo-Saxons to existing words and explicit compound words
were Romans and Vikings added foreign words into that were Germanic word stock. In 597,
Christianity was reintroduced to Britain by missionaries which added religious words. Later in 787,
English villages were raided by Vikings, who contributed to English significantly by adding pronouns,
introduced sounds like /g/ and /k/, sk- words and some sc- words, and enriched vocabulary with more
than 500 every day words.
Middle English (110-1500)
In 1066, the course of the English language was changed by the Norman Conquest. The English throne
was claimed by William, Duke of Normandy when King Harold was defeated in the Battle of Hasting.
For 200 years, the official language was French for nobility, however, lower class continued to speak
English. During this time period, some contributions were political, social, and economic changes. By
the 14th Century, English became the official language again and proof is demonstrated through the
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (late 1300s). Since 10,000 French words were added and many Old English
 words were lost, some French contributions were military, political, medical, and art words. The use of
inflections or word endings were significantly reduced, irregular verbs were lost, and others developed
regular past and past-participle forms which contribute to usage problems. The plural marker from Old
English -en still remains in some words such as children, however, the -s took place as a plural marker
during modern English time period.
Modern English (1500-Present)
The beginning of modern English pecan when William tax Caxton introduced printing press in England,
such that spelling standardizing. With the new addition to the English language pronunciation and
spelling begin to widen. During the 1600s and 1700s, more than fifty words were borrowed from the
Arabic, Spanish, Dutch, Russian, Hebrew, German, Swedish, Chinese and Italian explorations. In the
Renaissance era, many Latin and Greek words had scientific meaning. In this time period, the Great
Vowel Change occurred and caused a difference in the pronunciation of long vowels, which shifted
rhyming and syntax.
2. The history of the English language is vital for teachers to understand in order to teach students the
language and its function.
3. Morpheme is the root word for morphological information which is the basic parts of a word that has
affixes.
4. Homonyms her words that have sounds sand spelling similarities but are categorized into homographic
words. Homophones are words that sound alike but are spelled differently. Homographs her words that
are spelled the same but have different pronunciations. Homographic homophones are words that are
spelled and pronounced differently.
5. Words have different levels of usefulness; therefore, teachers must categorize words in content that are
essential to understand the text for the big idea of a unit; and are able to utilize them in various contexts.
a. Tier 1 Words – Basic everyday use words
b. Tier 2 Words – Academic words Learned at school
c. Tier 3 Words – Thematic units focuses on relating words and uncommon words that do not
necessarily need to be known before high school
6. Using the word learning process and word walls to support students in activities, such as word posters,
Word maps, dramatizing words, Word sorts. Mentor texts, tea party, Word chains, and semantic features
analysis.
7. Differentiate vocabulary instruction to increase interest and engagement in expanding their academic
knowledge; and to accommodate students’ needs by tailoring instruction.
8. Teachers use the construction-assessment cycle of preparing for instruction, monitoring progression,
evaluating their learning, then reflecting in order to adjust the instruction that might improve their
learning.

Chapter 8 Notes
1. The plot is one of the most crucial elements of a story structure. The plot is separated into three
sections: the beginning, middle, and end. These sections are known by older children as the
introduction, development, and resolution of a story structure. The beginning consists of the
introduction of characters, the setting and the presentation of the events. The middle consists of
introduction of conflicting events that challenge the characters while the end is the resolution of the
issue at hand. The components of the plot include the problem, roadblocks, the high point and solution.
2. The point of view refers to the readers’ interpretation or understanding of the story they read. There are
four points of view which include the first-person viewpoint, omniscient viewpoint, limited omniscient
viewpoint and objective viewpoint. The first-person viewpoint, readers interpret the story based on the
manner the narrator tells the story. The omniscient viewpoint consists of the third person narration of the
story. The limited omniscient viewpoint is narrated in the third person concentrating on the feelings of
 the main character or characters. In the objective viewpoint, they avoid narrating what the characters
think or believe and focus on what they can see and hear.
3. The story is affected by the point of view by how the story is written which determines the great extent
readers’ understanding of the story. First-person, omniscient, limited omniscient, and objective are the
four different points of view.
a. First-Person – tells a story through the eyes of one character using the first-person pronoun I, as
the narrator tells it.
b. Omniscient – author tells readers about the thought processes of each character without worrying
about how the information is obtained
c. Limited Omniscient – used so readers can know the thoughts of one character
d. Objective – readers are eyewitnesses and are confined to the immediate scene
4. Narrative devices are used by authors as strategies to convey a more powerful and memorable story by
utilizing hyperbole and imagery narrative devices. They tend to add humor and exaggerate the truth.
Hyperbole consists of using language that allows the reader to visualize what they are reading while
imagery is promoting the forming pictures in the mind of the readers.
5. The author uses narrative devices to bring breathe life into stories by making the more vivid and
memorable, which employ words to create images in readers minds.
e. Comparison – creating descriptions of events and people (like or as – it’s a simile and
comparisons are metaphors)
f. Hyperbole – stretch the truth and add humor using outlandish exaggerations, which helps readers
visualize the words they’re reading.
g. Imagery – descriptive language to appeal to readers senses and create pictures in readers’ minds.
h. Personification – When they use attributes human characteristics to animals or objects for
relating purposes.
i. Symbolism – person, place, or thing as symbol to represent something else and symbolism to
represent the story’s theme with an object.
j. Tone – overall emotional feeling in their choice of words
6. WebQuest are online inquiry projects related books; to complete them, students assume role and search
the Internet to find answers, solve problems, and produce technology-enhanced group projects.
7. Teachers differentiate instruction when they’re teaching literature by providing guidance and support for
students as the participate in a variety of reading activities, including guided reading, reading theater,
responding to stories, and retelling stories.
8. Five kind of stories that students write are written retellings, story innovations, genre stories, personal
narratives, and original stories.

Chapter 9 Notes
1. Mrs. LaRue developed the K-W-L chart to identify what they know about the fish, what they wonder
about fish and what they learned about fish. Furthermore, she established learning centers to further
develop the students’ understanding of nonfiction books. The learning centers included a science center,
book-making center, listening center, storytelling center, sequencing center and library centers among
other centers. In addition, she incorporated a field trip to an aquarium to reinforce what students had
learned about the subject they had been learning about. Furthermore,
2. Nonfiction books also known as information books are based on factual information while fiction books
are fabricated/imaginary stories. Nonfiction books have characteristics such as accuracy, organization,
design and style.
3. Nonfiction books types include alphabet books, autobiographies, concept books, multigenre books,
question-and-answer books and reference books among others.
 4. Nonfiction books are structured in expository text structures patterns which consist of description,
sequence, comparison, cause and effect, and problem and solution. Some nonfiction books are
organized as a single pattern although they may incorporate numerous patterns.
5. The research process differs from traditional report writing in that the writing process, students engage
in a sequence of activities versus the research process where students engage in conducting research to
identify topics by utilizing various rich resources including books and technology.
6. When studying about amphibians, the third-grade students may share their learning through a multigenre
project consisting of feature articles, data chart, photographs, poem and a journal.
7. Informational books fit into the patterns of practice during literature focus units (teach minilessons on
the nonfiction genre, expository text structures, and nonfiction features), literature circle (students read
nonfiction books during literature circles, and they analyze genre characteristics, and organizational
patterns), reading and writing workshops (students read during reading workshops, where they write
personal narratives, reports, and informational books), and thematic units (students, conduct research to
find answers to questions and write reports to share understanding).
8. Students utilize strategies such as paraphrasing and summarizing when reading and writing
informational texts. Paraphrasing students relate the information in their own words while summarizing
includes key points, main ideas in a concise manner.

Chapter 10 Notes
1. How does having students play with words prepare them to write poetry?
Children are introduced to poetry at an early age when their parents repeat nursery rhymes, songs,
riddles, jokes and when they are read books, for example, Dr. Seuss books. This introduction to poetry
prepares them to write poetry when playing games such as jump-rope and playground games.
2. What are the three types of poetry books published for children?
The three types of poetry books published for children today are picture-book versions of single poems,
specialized collections and comprehensive anthologies.
3. What are formula poems?
Formula poems are simplified formulas/outlines, similar to a recipe, created with the intent to simplify
the creation of poetry by children.

4. Why are formula poems recommended over rhymed verse?

Formula poems are recommended over rhymed verse because they provide an outline which simplifies
the writing of poems for students and also allows them to concentrate on their ideas rather than the
process of writing poetry.
5. What’s the difference between similes and metaphors?
The difference between similes and metaphors is that although they both make comparisons, similes use
words such as “like or as” when comparing one thing to another as opposed to metaphors, they directly
state the comparison.
6. What is onomatopoeia?
Onomatopoeia is the formation of sound words making writing more sensory and colorful causing a
more dramatic effect.
7. Look back at the vignette in the beginning of this chapter and point out five ways Mrs. Harris taught
students about poetry?
Mrs. Harris initiates the teaching of poetry by implementing class meeting, independent reading,
sharing, mini-lessons and writing. During the class meeting, she reviews a new poetry book and shares
information about the poet with students. In independent reading, select a poetry book, read
 independently, and mark their favorite poems. Independent reading is followed by sharing. Students are
grouped in small groups where they share their favorite poem and some students, have the opportunity
to read aloud their favorite poem to their classmates. Mrs. Harris conducts mini-lessons on the use of
poetic devices and introduces poetry formulas. Finally, students conduct the writing of their poetry
rough drafts.
8. How do teachers assess students’ learning during poetry workshops?
Teachers assess students’ learning by utilizing the instruction-assessment cycle which includes planning,
monitoring, evaluation and reflecting. The first step is planning. Teachers must determine how they will
monitor and assess students’ poetry. They plan what writing activities will be implemented, introduction
of poets, and which poetry formulas will be utilized. The monitoring incorporates the observation of
poetry activities, students’ responses to the poems and review students’ poetry writing. In the evaluating
process, teachers assess students’ poetry followed by reflecting by having students evaluate their own
poems.

Chapter 11 Notes
1. Teachers teach grammar through the reading of books and students’ writing while focusing on the use of
the exploring and writing editing stages.
2. The most common types of usage errors students make are the use of double negatives, objective
pronouns rather than subjective pronouns, irregular and nonstandard verb forms, and double subjects.
3. Researchers infer that the integration of reading produces better outcomes. Through reading, students
acquire knowledge of the English language structure as they are exposed to all four sentence types. In
addition, students learn to phrase their ideas and arrange words developing complete sentences, typically
sentences that are much longer than those utilized by them when speaking.
4. The alphabetic principle is a one-on-one correspondence between phonemes and graphemes, however,
as students learn about phoneme-grapheme correspondences, students learn the oral elements of English.
In addition, they relate to English spelling as letter patterns represent the sounds of speech.
Given that the phonetic only rule applies to English spelling about half the time, the only relation to
alphabetic principle is the same
5. The three principles of English orthography include the alphabetic principle, the pattern principle and
the meaning principle.
6. The alphabetic principle is the understanding that letters represent sounds which form words; it is the
knowledge of predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds. Unlike the Chinese
who use characters to represent whole ideas or the Egyptians who used pictures to represent words,
English is an alphabetic system – letters and letter patterns represent the sounds of our speech.
7. What spelling instruction do you recommend for the kindergartner in question 6?
8. D’Nealian handwriting, developed by Donald Neal Thurber, is an alternate style of manuscript and
cursive handwriting teaching program intended to simplify the teaching and learning of both.

Chapter 12 Notes

1. The purpose of a literature focus unit is for teachers to select a well-known/prizewinning story and have
students go through the five stages of the reading process: reading and responding to stories, acquiring
reading and writing tactics and incorporating language art activities.
2. Reading books aloud to students and incorporating writing activities in literature focus units is an
effective way to for teachers to identify standards that focus on writing. When books are read aloud to
 students, students are instructed to write sequels which allow teachers to identify the writing processes
and the writing method to teach students.
3. Create a chart to compare students’ and teachers’ roles in literature circles.

Students’ and Teachers’ Roles in Literature Circles

STEPS TEACHERS' ROLES STUDENTS' ROLES
Choose Select 5-7 titles; collect 6 copies of Students preview the
Books each book for students and give a book books and sign up for the
talk. book of their choice.
Identity Identify standards, language arts Students participate in
Standards strategies and skills related to teaching literature circles
standards. They also identify the roles
that students will assume. Plan
questions for discussion and decide
monitor system.
Organize the Organize the circles by giving book Students choose to read
Circles talks and having student’s sign-up for the book they like the
the book. most.
Roles Decide on group members roles, select Students select their team
group leader and clearly explain leader and each member
responsibilities. assumes their own role.
Set the Establishes schedule for literature Groups decide their time
Schedule circles to read, prep for group
meetings, participate in
discussions and activities.
Group Arrange group meetings Students alternate readings
Meetings and have discussions
among their groups.
Assessment Teachers plan ways to monitor and Participate in group
assess students by ensuring students discussions.
meet established standards.

4. Teachers initiate their literature circles by selecting five to seven books taking into account the standards
their students are expected to meet. After selecting the books, they introduce the books to students and
allow students to select the book of their choice by utilizing various book selection techniques.

5. The four strengths of the workshop approach include creating a community of learners, promoting
interaction among students, providing students with options, time to read and write, and opportunities
for response. Weaknesses of the workshop approach includes exclusion of students based on ethnicity,
gender, or socioeconomic status, socialization patterns, boys may only want to share books only with
other boys, and student’s inability to find an editing partner.

6. Teachers monitor and assess students’ learning in writing utilizing status-of-the-class charts,
conferences, writing process checklists, and rubrics. For assessing students’ learning in writing
workshops, teachers utilize the status-of-the-class charts, observations and conferences.
7. Reread the vignette at the beginning of this chapter and identify three oral activities, three written
activities, and three visual activities that Mrs. McNeal included in her thematic unit.
8. Teachers should use content-area textbooks as a tool to assist students to remember what they have read
by implementing activities before and after readings. Before-reading activities assists students to trigger
background knowledge, establishes the purpose for reading or for students to expand additional
knowledge. The after-reading activities assist students to identify and remember details and reading
concepts and how to find specific information.