Language Arts Books

Students generally prefer writing narration (stories) to writing exposition (explanation). Not surprisingly, they also perform better when writing narration as opposed to exposition. In her foreword to _Listen to This: Developing an Ear for Expository_ author Marcia S. Freeman suggests that if we read well-written expository pieces to students and help them listen for the characteristics and techniques that make those pieces successful, students will develop an ear for the genre and improve their expository skills dramatically.

_Listen to This_ is helpful for teachers and students alike. It comprises "An Expository Writing Primer" plus eighteen read-aloud samples in various expository and persuasive genres. The primer discusses such "target skills" as function, organization, focus, clarity, beginnings, endings, and transitions. Freeman gets practical and specific, giving examples of various organizational schemes, different kinds of supporting details, strategies to make writing lively, etc.

Each of the read-aloud samples is followed by a brief analysis, calling attention to strategies that contribute to the passage's success. The samples included in _Listen to This_ are intended only as a beginning, however. Freeman provides lists of books and periodicals where educators (grades 4-12) can find an endless supply of expository samples. Three appendices provide tips and additional organizational strategies.

While Freeman directs her book toward educators, her explanations are short enough and clear enough that I would not hesitate to put this book directly into the hands of students (4th grade and older).

I spent hours looking for a book that models expository writing for middle school students. _Listen to This_, which greatly exceeds my expectations, made the search worthwhile.

Listen to This: Developing and Ear for Expository by Marcia S. Freeman provides teachers and students with many approaches to reading and writing expository text. From creating dynamic introductions and conclusions to expanding support and effectively organizing text, this little book provides short lessons that enhance the teaching of writing at most grade levels. I used the book extensively in an 8th grade writing workshop. Now that I'm retired from the classroom, I use it to train teachers of writing.

This is a great book for teachers of all grade levels. Many times, teaching resources dealing with reading and writing are too elementary for middle and high school teachers to use. This book gave great examples and strategies for teachers to use with their students of all grade levels. I am a high school teacher and found this book exceptional.

This book should be the textbook for "Teaching Writing" the course I wish I'd had in college. I only wish I could have found this book when I first started teaching in the primary grades. This book sums up the skills a teacher should include in teaching writing. Middle and high school teachers will find this book very appropriate for their students, too.
This book will even be helpful to me in my writing for graduate work. I feel like I finally have a grasp on the "whole picture" of writing. Other books by this author are equally good. I've read "Teaching the Youngest Writers," which is especially good for kindergarten and first grade teachers.

Exact and precise. The best short book on how to teach writing I've seen. I'm a literacy teacher and I ordered a copy for all 50 of my classroom and special teachers.

Mr Fordin's a great writer with great taste in subject matter. I owned this one first in hardback as "The World of Entertainment". It's so fabulous I bought it again in paperback. One of the best researched and documented film books I know.

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!!!!!

I love to know the behind-the-scenes of the days Gene Kelly made his magic at MGM, so Gene drew me to buying this book. Well, Mr Arthur Freed, if there could be more "bosses" like you today, the workplace would be a much happier place to be. Arthur and his "UNIT" or as I like to call them, "THE CREW" will have you laughing, maybe even crying and definitely astounded, amazed and so very happy that this man was the back bone and the money maker of this fabulous studio of the real movie days. His mind is one that could never be found again in any producer of today. They definitely cracked the mould when they made this man. So, I recommend that you buy this book, and even purchase the movie under the same title. Mr Hugh Fordin has done the most fantastic job on this book. You will feel like you are standing there in every scene that is described..

Hugh Fordin is an expert in his field. His detailed research is clearly evident throughout this work. His love of theater, film and particularly the Hollywood (make that MGM) Musical is revealed in the many interviews he conducted with people involved in every aspect of the productions he writes about.He shares small insights and many heretofore unknown facts about this disappeared genre of movie making. If this isn't a textbook at film schools, it should be. A superb work whose value increases over the years.

I was expecting this to be a straight biography of Arthur Freed with discussions on his films but instead I was pleasantly surprised to see that the entire book is a blow-by-blow account of how the films were made (which to a movie buff is pure heaven) and, as the author says, Freed's movies were his life anyway.

I think it says something that the title of this book is "M.G.M.'s Greatest Musicals", since the truly amazing thing is that one man was more or less responsible for all of them. Great behind-the-scenes stories.

The text of this book is very interesting. It's more of a nuts and bolts of how the movies were put together than a critque of the movies themselves.

However, beware if you are replacing an older edition of this book. This edition is inferior to one that I had years ago. The pictures in this version look like they were photocopied from an earlier version of the book. Many are grainy and washed out. Also, a number of the pictures at the tops of pages are cropped so that tops of some of the heads are cut off. I know this wasn't how earlier versions of this book looked. Although a minor point, in the back of previous editions there was a list of much money each film cost, as well as the domestic and foreign grosses of each film. I found this interesting, and I was sorry to see it missing.

A must read for any activists. Easy to understand and yet effective.

This is the how-to book I wish I had written. It's perfect for activists, charities, government agencies, even PTAs! No one can sell an idea or cause better than the person who believes in it--this book gives you the basics and more on how to get your campaign or event in the news.

The most difficult task for any activist or organization is getting noticed. With an influx of so many news agencies and mediums it's hard getting noticed by reporters and editors.

This book shows you how to make your cause 'interesting' to those who matter in getting your message across: the Media.

You'll learn how to do several things like give speeches, create an identity, use props & mascots and more.

Although it could have probablly included more in-depth detail and 'how-to' it was certainly worth the investment.

Bottom Line: Worthwhile addition for any activist or their organization. Invaluable for the person in charge of making causes and campaigns noticed!

Outstanding on all fronts. No jargon - all facts. Salzman shares his secrets and tells you how to figure out making your work into news. In this image-crazed age, this book is a must.

Gearing up a new issues education/activist organization, I read this invaluable tome. Then I called its author (Jason Salzman) to find proteges of his whom I might hire on the East Coast. After talking with him over a couple weeks, I hired him and have tremendously benefitted from his experience, wisdom and creativity. Not often we can hire the guy "who wrote the book." If you can't hire him yourself (try though), his book lays out the science and art of garnering media for you to tout your cause.

With "how to" books, I have a relevancy quiz: Does the book quickly tell me something new worth knowing, as I flip through its pages? This book did. So I bought it and put it aside without a second look. Recently I was struggling with a major ad campaign. I pulled this book off the shelf and began reading the plain, direct, revealing advice that each of these hugely talented and amazingly humble copywriting stars offers. And presto: I found my way again. I began writing above my level, too. I can't recommend the book enough, but you have to read it: it is not a coffee-table book, despite its looks.

Wow! There are over 200 ads in this book and I could spend hours just cruising through each of them. But this is more than just a book with top advertising pictured in it. It is also a primer on idea generation, perfect for anyone writing ad copy and feeling blocked.

The writers in this book are some of the industry's best and each has their own stand alone section that discusses their approach to the art and science of copywriting. They are essentially asked "How do you write your copy?", and then turned loose to answer. Amazingly, each seems to come up with a different answer and approach to their craft.

The book also appears under the the title "The Copywriter's Bible," but either edition is equally great. Different cover, same great content.

Brutal! I opened the book and cut my fragile fingers. Now they sting. How can I write copy with gravely injured fingers? I'd pay for tips on that!

While this is a very good book, you may be interested to know that it's merely a paperback version of the original book originally published in 1995. The trick here is the new paperback version doesn't contain any new material, yet it has a different title. The original book was titled "The Copy Book." If you already own this book, don't buy "The Copywriter's Bible." Same book, different name. I found out the hard way.

Yeah ... I'll jump on this wagon. It's a great book. And it's already done wonders for my daily idea-generation duties. Get it.

This book was great. It was too young for my 8yr old but just right for the 6yr old.

This book taught my 4 year old what nouns were. I read it for her older brother, but they both picked up on the concept. The rhymes are silly, so it keeps their attention, and they really get it by the end of the book.

I also recommend the others in the series - To Root, To Toot, To Parachute:What is a Verb?; Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What is an Adjective? We don't have the latest ones, but I'm sure they're just as good.

After reading the other reviews, I want to check out other series that this author has done.

My five year old daughter loves this book! Prosmitsky's colorful illustrations make it so much more fun learning the parts of speech. My daughter adores the illustrator's goofy pillow-like cats!

As a teacher of third graders, I've used this book and "Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What is an Adjective" to teach and delight my students, and to take some of the tedium out of parts of speech. Within a day or so of introducing these books, all 27 of my group knew the difference between the major parts of speech. We found out that Mr. Cleary has a website, and I printed out some word-building worksheets off it for free, and a took away a couple of suggestions on how integrate teaching nouns with a fun art project, called the noun quilt, in which each letter of the alphabet has a noun, as in B, BOOT, C, CAT and the students draw the item and eventually it becomes this big old paper quilt full of nouns. His publisher assures me that TO ROOT, TO TOOT, TO PARACHUTE: WHAT IS A VERB? will be in soon, and it's a no-brainer that I'll get that as well.

Funny, silly, but slyly (if that's a word) educational, A Mink A Fink A Skating Rink: What is a Noun? will do for grammar what "Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue in Fourteen-hundred ninety-two" did for social studies. Kids can't help but remember which part of speech a word is because of the clever rhymes. My second graders find the illustrations wonderful as well. Cleary's first series includes great teaching tools like "Jamaica Sandwich?", which is really a 4th-5th grade combination Geography/English lesson.

This is a fantastic book. I have always felt a little inadequate as a writing teacher. I can write, but I don't know where to begin on the road to teaching children to write. This is a step-by-step plan and it is fantastic!

I have reviewed many books about how to teach children to write stories, and this one is by far the best! To begin with Mariconda is the only author I've read who distinguishes between character-problem-solution stories and what she calls "personal narratives." Personal narratives are more about an experience than a character, are usually heavily descriptive, and there is no "problem." The character-problem-solution mantra had always bothered me, because we all know that there are wonderful stories that are more "mood pieces" than solutions problems.
More importantly, the book consists of specific lessons on teaching the elements of story writing, in isolation. It can be done! Look at the Table of Contents to see exactly what is covered. These lessons are explained so well explained that you feel fully equipped to teach them, now!
Additionally, the author herself writes with "voice," unlike the usual dry, anonymous style of textbooks. When I leafed through the book and saw an entry that said something like, "getting students to elaborate with detail is the bane of most English teachers' existence," I bought it then and there. What we all need is to hear about teachers' experiences, not just "programs" that seem to spring from nowhere.
Lastly, her approach works! When this program was implemented at the school she taught at, the percentage of students passing the state writing assessment rose from 47% to 92% in four years. That is amazing! I am planning on using this book for my high school students as well as elementary and middle school!

I used this book to teach 3rd and 4th graders in Watts how to write. This book has lesson plans that teach step by step. All kids have wonderful ideas but sometimes do not know how to express these ideas on paper. This book shows you how to teach them. It was incredible to read the stories my students wrote after learning the techniques in this book! All my students became amazing authors! They were so proud of their stories and I was so proud of them! Thank you for writing this amazing book!

I have used this book with 3 schools in two states to help teachers teach writing and to help students prepare for state writing tests. This book shows you many simple ways to help kids understand narrative writing. The diamond graphic organizes the students's thinking and writing. The mini-lessons are great, and the test prep advice, the paced prompt, works. why should anyone take a test they aren't prepared for? the paced prompt shows the students how to organize their time and thougths, and the scores showed it. If you or your teachers are using Write Traits this will fit beautifully, but the book also stands alone. I've bought copies for all my teachers!

A book that, incredibly, lives up to its title! This is my 13th year of teaching elementary school and this book does what no other book has been able to do: it works! I found myself reading the entire thing in the teacher's store where I first found it. I suggested to my entire 3rd grade team that we implement it and they whole-heartedly agreed. If you want to teach kids to write narrative that A. makes sense, and B. is interesting, you cannot go wrong. Haven't you tried the formula of character, setting, problem, solution, one too many times and not been satisfied with the results? I know I have. This approach is much better, and shows you how to teach beginnings, elaboration, suspense (the best part), main event, resolution, and satisfying ending. The beauty is you teach it by parts using real literature examples, modeling, and then students practice. You will find yourself nodding your head as the author relates the same kinds of frustrations you have when reading elementary school writing and shows you how to change them. This book is the best I've ever seen to help you teach writing. There is no fluff and many great insights. Your students will write amazing stories and you'll never teach writing the same way again!

...but were too afraid to ask.

Or, like the inside book cover says "the Strunk and White for the next century".

Or, sometimes it's square to be tooooo hip with language and it's uses. Correction: MOST the time it's square to be too hip with language and its uses. (Can we talk, can we e-chat or are you going to be too, too obscure? In order to pose as some unapproachable form of hipness, nowness?..but that, my friends is another issue.)

Ms. Bruder says that success in life--career advancements, material gains, even love--is associated with how well and accurately one uses the english language. Knowing the when to use lay and lie, knowing correct spellings of words, knowing not to say "between you and I" and when, if ever, it is correct to use sentence fragments...these are just a few of the topics she writes about in this highly entertaining book. Throughout the book are deliciously funny malaprops sent to her by her reading audience called "Goofy Goofs" and "Typos of the Weak". These are Dilbert-like faux pas which find their way to print and into the corporate offices, the newpapers and other official documents which may only require that one last person to double check before sending out--oops! Too late. Some may say that is the case for some of my written work here. At least I am aware of my need for improvement and I am attempting to be better at the game...Ms Bruder indicates we all could stand some improvement.

One of her pet peeves is how Valleyspeak has filtered into the spoken language arena. We are not just talking about the totally tubular slangswages, but when, like when someone is talking? And they sound as if everything they say? Ends like a question? Do you see?

Also, she says that grammar teachers in grade schools across the USA are being unproductive teaching sentence diagramming. This is a complete waste of time. Something akin to a phonectic type of recitation--thinking or speaking to oneself about what would be the subject, verb, modifier(s) in sentences--and always, always working to identify them (even waaay beyond the grammar school years.) seems to be the way which is more effective for learning.

There are "Worrysome Words" sections which gives simple, straight ahead definitions of those bugaboo words we have trouble with whenever we see them in print, you know? The ones we 'kinda, sorta' remember learning the definitions of in an english class once upon a time? Ms Bruder also throws in a bunch of punctuation and spelling quizzes, the infamous "its versus it's" usage and the ways our popular culture has affected the language. (Yeah, she gets on ads like "good like a cigarette should" and "nobody doesn't like SL" AND the politicians who should know better not exactly being up to par.)

The upshot of all of her cheerleading for the proper uses of the language is that she is called "the Grammar Lady" or the "Miss Manners" of the language. I know I always appreciate a little help with grammar use, here and there, as I make my way up. (Although many of my critics may disagree.) This is one of the sources I use from time to time. Bruder's style is light hearted and easy to digest, and very easy to enjoy. And, with apologies to her, my humble endorsement of this work will be: "You are gonna luv this".

The Grammar Lady's gem of a book, Much Ado About a Lot, is not just about grammar per se, but about improved communications, both spoken and written. You'll smile all the way through Mary Newton Bruder's delightful primer concerning our totally absorbing language -- English! R.A. Miller, Advertising Copywriter, Wilmington, DE

I just read the excerpt and ordered this book. I learned English in Germany, and we had to go through the grueling and rather boring grammar and sentence structure drills (in German it's subject-object-verb). Yet, had I not had this foundation, I would have drowned in American regional slang such as "I says", brrrrhh! - I want this book because I'm sure I'll learn a thing or two without falling asleep over it.

I've considered myself a scholar of this amazing language for the past 19 years, but it's never been a drudgery as long as I had the right tools. From what I've read so far, this book might just rank in the top five.

The title of this book really caught my eye when I was perusing store shelves this evening and I ended up in a cozy chair in the back of the bookstore totally absorbed in this fantastic read. Mary Newton Bruder is a natural at writing about the importance of grammar without making the reader feel like a big idiot for not knowing all there is to know. She provides humour, like "Typos for the Weak" (those little weirdnesses that happen with spell-check;-) and she helps the reader strengthen their chops by featuring fun quizes throughout the book. The bottom inch or so of almost every page is dedicated to a Weird Word: a word that a reader didn't know the correct spelling, meaning, or pronounciation of and had to ask the author to clue them in on it. I enjoyed Mary Newton Bruder's style, it was very laid back and humourous, forgiving and understanding, while that it IS important to have decent grammar in today's world. I admit, I need this book! I don't think anyone will feel they are being lectured or put down in any way, or made to feel stupid. This book embraces people at all levels of skill and encourages all of us to make an effort to improve communication and honor the English language while keeping the tone light and fun.

The dust jacket synopsis of this book calls it "the Strunk & White for the next century"; while that's a bit of an overstatement, Mrs. Bruder's book is nonetheless a useful handbook, more accessible than "The Elements of Style" if less comprehensive.

In her book, the self-styled "grammar lady" condenses the wisdom born of years of teaching into a pleasant narrative, full of witty anecdotes and gentle correction instead of pedagogy. Despite dealing with the four apocalyptic horsemen of the language arts - grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation - one rarely feels as if they are reading a textbook or reference manual.

In sum, if you are looking for a gift for a student or teacher in your life, or if you did not catch any of my somewhat deliberate errors above, then consider adding "Much Ado About a Lot" to your cart.

A little context -- I studied playwriting in college several years ago and had productions of a couple scripts. Recently I've had a play germinating inside me, and I decided to give it a try. I discovered this book on a casual browse through a bookstore.
This book is not only the best imaginable resource, it also serves to inspire and give you a chance to believe in yourself. Yes -- I was rusty and this book reminded me of the styles of plays available to draw on (I'm a bit into alienation and absurdism.), and it demonstrates clearly the difference between vague and uninteresting dialogue with that which contains dramatic tension.
He is also the most practical of teachers. He makes regular suggestions for writing a play that has the best appeal for being produced. (Don't write a play with 50 characters and six scene changes, including a snowstorm in Siberia!)
I would think this book is most useful if you too have decided to embark on the challenge of writing a play; otherwise I'm not sure what the appeal would be. It is not a great tome on dramatic theory. At every step of the way it is practical -- right there ready to help you express yourself and, one hopes, to write a successful play.

There is an entire industry in publishing books about writing. Writers, especially aspiring writers, are very insecure about their work, and seek reassurance that they're on the right track from others. Most of the books produced to ameliorate writers' self-doubt are crap. But I can say with confidence that Downs and Russin's NAKED PLAYWRITING is not only the best playwriting book I have ever read, it is the best book I have ever read on any kind of writing, from the beginning of the process to the end.

It's easy to talk about how to tell a good story, but how many books actually break down ideas point by point to determine which ones actually have a future? This one. Many would-be writing mentors talk about sitting down and writing, but how many have actually given instructions on how to create a style sheet on Microsoft Word so that you can create a perfectly formatted manuscript on your first try? This one. Everybody knows that the creative process isn't complete until the work is seen by an audience, but how many books demonstrate how to comparison-shop theatre companies, give you balanced pointers on how and when to get an agent, and show how to evaluate a contract to tell if it serves your interests? This one.

The light conversational tone that obtains through most of this book makes the information contained between the covers very approachable. The authors are aware that many of their readers will be beginning writers, but they also incorporate more intermediate and advanced information, so young writers can follow through to the end on what they've already begun. This book is not some compendium of lukewarm exhortations to write now and write more; it's an actual plan to turn your writing into a vocation and a life.

Young writers buy a lot of books to get them started on the art and the craft. This is one of the few books those writers will actually keep on their desks through the years as they write.

The authors have a great sense of humor and tons of information. There are a lot of books out there on playwriting but this one really opened my eyes. Naked is a good way to write.

This is an excellent book to get you on your way towards fulfilling your dream of writing plays.

Okay, maybe its attractive title did draw this reader's attention to the book, but Naked Playwriting proves to be, as one other reviewer stated, not just a great one amidst so many How-To...books. Naked Playwriting is the best book I've read on writing, as well.

I finished this and thought (yes, exhilarated) that every writer could benefit from this one. No matter what genre. No matter what style. Naked Playwriting is, incredibly, written by two voices, Downs and Russin, and yet it speaks so fluently, so masterfully, and so concisely--with this humor throughout--that I just trusted these writers were actually writers from the first line.

That it speaks so smoothly to the reader, guides the reader, without pompous self-glorifying stories of their own past careers, speaks of the closeness these two writers stayed on course with the subject--and it speaks of the dedication to playwriting that Naked Playwriting follows.

A well-crafted ship is, as the authors describe, the beauty of a stage play, carefully crafted, going somewhere, with purpose, and capable of taking others along on a tremendous ride--that is what the great ones do--and that's what Downs and Russin have offered us.

Read this, then reread, and continue to reference it--Naked Playwriting will become a manual to hold onto.

This book has an excellent overview of writing with early learners. It also has great activities and strategies for engaging students in learning to write. Wonderful!

I am very excited about this book and this program. I began using this program in just two months ago. The setting is a first semester, half-day kindergarten program. Over 30% of my students are English Language Learners, nearly 10% receive speech services, 5% are hearing impaired, and nearly 10% receive other special education services. Most are considered low-income. If this program produces results for us, it can work for anyone.
The strategies in Never Too Early To Write are designed to lead each individual student to her full potential. Students express their own thoughts, feelings, and concerns. A teacher cannot help but connect with the children. Every student wants to be loved and respected as a unique person. Journal writing allows for a private moment with each student. Each child is working on skills that are meaningful to her. Once a concept is mastered, there is another to focus on.
The reasons for beginning the program are clear, but the side effects were the most impressive. Writing is FUN! It is fun for me. It is fun for the paraprofessionals in the classroom. It is fun for the volunteers. It is fun for parents to see their children progress. Most importantly, it is fun for the students; they love it.

Do children have to know how to spell and read before they are taught to write? No, contends Bea Johnson emphatically in Never Too Early to Write-a gem of a book which describes both a writing program and a way of thinking.

Each chapter is chock-full of advice, tips, anecdotes, and, thoughtfully, samples of actual student work. In Chapters 1 and 2, Johnson makes the argument that kindergartners and first graders should be taught to write. To support her contention, she explains in detail the many benefits in doing so. One of the most important is that when students write, they are using letters and punctuation. Indeed, they are immersed in them. This, in turn, imbues the strange squiggles and marks with meaning. They are not so mysterious nor foreign anymore. They have a purpose. They can communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas. Other benefits include: enlarged vocabulary, enhanced phonetics and spelling, increased familiarity of sentence patterns and word discrimination, additional opportunities to think critically and creatively, and even increased self-esteem.

At this point you may be thinking, that all sounds well and good, but how am I going to fit this into my already crowded day? The answer: Integrate the writing experiences into your other subjects. "Writing," asserts Johnson, "shouldn't be a once-a-week activity done on Friday afternoon, 20 minutes before the busses arrive." Johnson also contends that you "will discover incredible truths" about your teaching if you have your students write in the content areas. How? By having students write about the lesson, you will have immediate feedback-in black and white-about what they learned
and didn't learn.

Chapter 3 delves into seven stages or benchmarks of writing: from scribbling to random lettering to conventional spelling. It is important, declares Johnson, that children should not be taught at a level beyond their capabilities.

In the next chapter, Johnson discusses "The Rules." Although they are an "ideal" and you won't be able to follow them all the time, they should, she states, at least be in the back of your mind. In a nutshell, an effective writing classroom is informal, open to experimentation, content oriented, supportive, affirming, and encourages "table talk." The teacher "provides students with the tools, time, and structure to write."

"The Big Four" are discussed in Chapter 5. They are: Dictation, Drawing, Scribbling, and Temporary Spelling. There are a plethora of benefits to dictation, notes Johnson. First and foremost, the student "realizes immediately that his spoken words have meaning and can be written down" (emphasis mine). As the teacher or volunteer writes, the student is able to observe: left-to-right progression, punctuation, phonics, sentence structure, and more.

"Drawing," writes Johnson, "becomes the child's rehearsal stage of writing." These illustrations are snapshots, so to speak, of the child's thinking. Scribbles are the beginning stages of writing. Here the child experiments with word and sentence formation, symbols, holding the writing instrument and more. As educators, we should not overlook these attempts. Rather, we should "take advantage of the learning potential" of them by asking the student what he or she has written. Temporary spelling, notes Johnson, "is children's first attempts to write words using their best judgment about spelling." She then goes on to discuss the three stages of temporary spelling as well as the benefits described in research findings.

In Chapters 6 through 15 Johnson discusses in detail ten writing strategies. Among them are: Individual Language Experience Stories (ILES); Journal Writing; Draw and Write; Pattern Stories; Class Newspaper.

Johnson rounds out the book with a chapter on communicating with parents (which includes sample parent letters) and a chapter on conclusions, questions and answers.

If you are interested in trying a writing workshop in your kindergarten or first grade classroom, this concise, approachable, highly useful volume that will help you accomplish your goal.

Reviewed by the Education Oasis Staff

This book is about a teaching to write curriculum that is wideley used in Northern Italy schools.We call it Ferrero-Teberoski. I use the same method to allow my fifth graders write in English, a language they are learning as EFL.Letting them write in English allows me to gear my teaching to kids with different abilities and it also let students having whatever ability to feel proud of his/her accomplishments, and hence improves their self-assureness. I would encourage EFL and ESL teachers to read this book and make this method part of their curriculum.

I would recommend this book to any kindergarten teacher. For those new to the profession, it offers wonderful suggestions for writing activities that don't take much preparation time and don't require special supplies or materials. For experienced teachers, this book will spice up the existing writing program.
I am a kindergarten teacher and have used ideas from this book for the last two years. The natural language Bea uses makes it enjoyable to read and easy to understand. Her philosophy that children don't need to be pushed in order to grow as writers makes a lot of sense. The writing activities in this book have helped produce many happy, self-confident students who love to write and a happy teacher who has gotten to know her students better than ever before.

This product full of ideas on setting up and teaching Kindergarten. With the continious changes in education I was a little unsure about where to start. The author offers great ideas and input using the NCTM Standards. This is a great resource for new teachers, and teachers who are new to teaching Kindergarten.

I have had the honor of seeing Ms. Leuenberger adapt the very principals that she writes about in her book in her own classroom on "The Vineyard". Believe me, these strategies and lessons work. I suggest that each school have this book available for their Kindergarten teachers. The suggestions and ideas in this book make "Meeting the Standards" easy and fun.

I love how this teacher writes about how she sets up her classroom and keeps it organized. She also has some helpful strategies for setting up learning centers, journal writing and how to make your morning message fun, and much more!
I think the ideas in this book will be really helpful in the years to come.

This is a 'must have' book for any teacher at any number of years teaching experience. What I really like about this book is 'at a glance' one can pick up ideas/tips that are ready to try 'NOW'.

Constance Leuenberger's book is an excellent combination of educational philosophy coupled with ideas, ideas, and more ideas!
An easy read that would be a GREAT resource for ALL new Kindergarten teachers and a wonderful resource to help experienced teachers remember how important developementally appropriate strategies are.
This book is full of great ideas, strategies, and tips that are simple and ready to implement. Another strength is how the author shares thoughts for teachers of half day and/or full day programs.
Constance understands how young children learn. She knows that we must teach the "whole" child....from their academic to their social well being.
This book is an excellent addition to your professional library.