Language Arts

Language arts is the use of verbal, reading, listening, and writing skills that a student needs and uses when they perform an academic activity. The goal of language arts is to use language proficiently in order to communicate an idea. I want my students to clearly communicate their ideas through language. When I select my books I will make sure that these cover the four main concepts which are included in language arts, these concepts are; listening, reading, speaking, and writing. This genre helps students learn about the components of English language through the incorporation of a plot or a story line. There are other books that meet the same goal, but these are more colorful and contain many interesting animations, which attract younger students and it makes it easier for these students to understand the information that’s being provided in the text. Some of the things I will look for when I’m searching for my books are; the accuracy of the book, I want the information of the book to be consistent and up to date. Also, I will look at the accessibility of the book, and the attractiveness. These books can serve as an introduction to a lesson or as a secondary source depending on how the teacher would like to use them.

Ruth Heller, (1998). Fantastic! Wow and Unreal. New York : Grosset & Dunlap

Complexity level:

• Second & Third

Read aloud level:

• First & Second

This book provides information about interjection and conjunctions. The author talks about what interjections are how they are used and provides several examples of when people use them. Also, I contains information about what conjunctions are, and how they are used. I’d use this book in my classroom because it will help my students understand when/how they should use an interjection or a conjunction. It will help them become better writers since they will know how to connect their ideas. I also like this book because it has lots of good text features. It is very colorful which makes it very appealing for students. Also, in the sentences he uses as examples to show interjection and conjunction he highlights with bright colors the interjection or the conjunction, which makes it easier to identify it.

Robert Kaske, (1975). The Story of the Dictionary. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. 

Complexity level:

• Fourth & Fifth

Read aloud level:

• Third & Fourth

This book contains information about the story of the dictionary. It provides information about who were the first monks that wrote the dictionary, who was the first American that wrote a dictionary, and where do all the words that are included in the dictionary come from. I really liked this book because it talks about the background of where the words that we use come from. Students that like to read would enjoy reading this book since they would want to know about where the definitions of the words we use come from.