Effective Elementary Language Arts Instruction
(Grade 1-4)

Elementary teachers today are urged to integrate reading and writing instruction throughout their curriculum (for example into science and social studies lessons), both to foster deeper learning of content and to develop stronger literacy skills. However, simply mixing subjects may not help students either learn basic facts or develop higher thinking and literacy skills. On a national survey conducted a decade ago, teachers and state language arts specialists identified the need to know more about whether and how to integrate the elementary curriculum as their top concern overall. CELA researchers responded to that need by studying

• the characteristics and outcomes of effective integrated elementary language arts instruction;
• the kinds of activities and approaches that support the development of language arts along with other content matter; and
• how state education policies affect elementary language arts curriculum and instruction.

Research sites located primarily in four states -- California, New York, Texas, and Wisconsin -- provided geographic and demographic diversity and enabled researchers to make comparisons across studies. The total study sample included more than 75 teachers and 2000 students. The major research questions included:

• What are the characteristics of and outcomes produced by effective integrated elementary language arts instruction? (Language Arts Instruction, grades 1 and 4)
• What instructional activities support the development of literacy and the learning of literature and social studies? (Literature and Social Studies)
• How does state education agency policy affect elementary language arts curriculum and instruction? (Policy)

Results from each study can be found by following the links above.

December 2006