Product Description

This thoroughly revised, streamlined 7th edition continues to model the integration of the six language arts into the curriculum while providing a seamless presentation of methods grounded in real contemporary classrooms.  The new edition deepens its real classroom exploration by integrating new Teacher Prep footage with classroom methods and minilessons in Planning for Instruction features.  A new focus on Meeting the Needs of English Learners rounds out the look at addressing the needs of all students.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35518 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 2.33 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 592 pages

Review

The introductory vignette describing best language arts practices is an excellent way to set the stage for the content in the chapter.  LA Essentials is essential information for teachers to have in an easy reference format. Diane Bottomley, BallStateUniversity

 

Tompkins provides lots of practical ideas for teaching, and explains the constructs associated with the reading and writing processes in context of classroom application.  The charts, lists, and special features are very helpful in highlighting important content.  Janet Young, BrighamYoungUniversity

 

I like the rich description of theory and its application to instruction.  Tompkins does a good job of explaining the theories and of giving readers examples of classroom applications, and the book continues to help readers make these connections in subsequent chapters.  Debra Price, SamHoustonStateUniversity

From the Back Cover

Language Arts: Patterns of Practice has long been a highly valued resource to pre-service teachers.  Built on a solid research base, this exceptionally applied and teacher-friendly text addresses all six language arts, modeling their integration into the curriculum through authentic student artifacts, classroom vignettes, and footage of master teachers in their language arts classrooms.  The seventh edition of the text, streamlined to provide a succinct, manageable model of language arts instruction, retains the rich classroom orientation, accessible writing style, and numerous features that have been the text’s hallmark, adding a sharpened focus on English Learners, deepened classroom application of the four patterns of practice, and integrated treatment of the almost limitless resources of the Teacher Prep website.  These new ideas and revisions have been crafted to help you prepare for, plan for, and implement successful language arts instruction.   

 

Preparing for the Language Arts Classroom

• New!Patterns of Practice features pinpoint the ways to use the four patterns of practice — literature circles, literature focus units, reading and writing workshop, and thematic units — with each chapter’s topic.
• Full color inserts identify the Patterns of Practice — the four instructional approaches most appropriate for integrating the six language arts.  The insert details procedures and processes for using each instructional approach.
• Chapter opening vignettes describe how individual teachers use the different instructional approaches to develop language arts skills.  These features set the tone for each chapter, clearly illustrating chapter concepts as they are played out in successful language arts classrooms.

Planning for the Language Arts Classroom

• New! How to Plan for Instruction features throughout the text help you prepare for teaching with three elements.  First, a list of concepts, strategies, and topics help you plan meaningful minilessons.  Second, a detailed minilesson example models effective instructional practice.  Finally, the Teacher Prep connection leads you to one or two video clips on our Teacher Prep website that illustrate a minilesson from the topic list as it plays out in an authentic classroom.
• New!Meeting the Needs of English Learners features help prepare you for the diverse needs of today’s students with concrete advice for providing the instruction each student needs.

Tools for the Language Arts Classroom

• LA Essentials provide guidelines, lists, tools, and resources ready to take right into the classroom.
• Step by Step features provide detailed instructions for preparing and carrying out specific instructional strategies.
• Weaving Assessment into Practice features present authentic artifacts and guidelines for assessing language arts skill development.

To order this book WITH MyEducationLab, use either ISBN:

ISBN-13: 9780137147762

ISBN-10: 0137147767

To order this book WITHOUT MyEducationLab use either ISBN:

ISBN-13: 9780131597891

ISBN-10: 0131597892

About the Author

Gail Tompkins   I’m a teacher, first and foremost.  I began my career as a first-grade teacher in Virginia in the 1970s.  I remember one first grader who cried as the first day of school was ending.  When I tried to comfort him, he sobbed accusingly, “I came to first grade to learn to read and write and you forgot to teach me.”  The next day, I taught that child and his classmates to read and write! We made a small patterned book about one of the stuffed animals in the classroom.  I wrote some of the words and the students supplied the others, and I duplicated copies of the book for each child.  We practiced reading it until everyone memorized our little book.  The children proudly took their books home to read to their parents. I’ve never forgotten that child’s comment and what it taught me:  Teachers must understand their students and meet their expectations.

            My first few years of teaching left me with more questions than answers, and I wanted to become a more effective teacher so I started taking graduate courses.  In time I earned a master’s degree and then a doctorate in Reading/Language Arts, both from Virginia Tech.  Through my graduate studies, I learned a lot of answers, but more importantly, I learned to keep on asking questions.

            Then I began teaching at the university level.  First I taught at Miami University in Ohio, then at the University of Oklahoma, and finally at California State University, Fresno. I’ve taught preservice teachers and practicing teachers working on master’s degrees, and I’ve directed doctoral dissertations. I’ve received awards for my teaching, including the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at California State University, Fresno, and I was inducted into the California Reading Association’s Reading Hall of Fame. Throughout the years, my students have taught me as much as I taught them.  I’m grateful to all of them for what I’ve learned.

            I’ve been writing college textbooks for more than 20 years, and I think of the books I write as teaching, too.  I’ll be teaching you as you read this text.  As I write a book, I try to anticipate the questions you might ask and provide that information.  I also include students’ samples so you can see concepts that I’m explaining, and I include lists of trade books that you can refer to as you work with students.

            When I’m not teaching, I like to make quilts, and piecing together a quilt is a lot like planning effective language arts instruction.   Instead of using pieces of cloth, teachers use the patterns of practice and other instructional procedures described in this text to design instruction for the diverse students in today’s classrooms.  That’s why I like to use quilts on the cover of Language Arts.  I want to thank quilter Cher Cartwright and illustrator Linda Bronson for their superb artistic contributions.  You’ll see their art on the cover and inside this book.

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Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent resource for Language Arts Teachers
By J. Adair
I have recommended that the students in my class keep this textbook for future use. It is chock full of strategies, research to back up those strategies, book lists and classroom examples. The author gives step by step instruction on how to set up the four classroom strategies for teaching the language arts. This information is invaluable and even the most inexperienced teacher could use the book to set up a viable language arts classroom. The DVD that comes with the book allows us to see inside the classrooms of "exemplary" teachers and watch how the strategies work in the real world. Well worth the money.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
A wealth of information
By K. Hogan
Finally, I was required to a buy a book that I will actually use again. Both pre-student and veteren teachers will enjoy this book. It contains a wealth of strategies for teaching kids how to write. Although there is a a lot of great information however, if your like me you don't have tons of time for reading through all the historical and case study information. Each section is clearly explained so it's great to just pick and choose what you are looking for.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
comprehensie textbook
By John Utz
Does a decent job of covering all the bases. The endless lists can seem arbitrary (6 language arts; 4 teaching practices; 4 systems; 4 factors; 5 stages; etc, etc), but once it gets into actual examples of how this works in the classroom, it's pretty helpful.

See all 11 customer reviews...