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=__Welcome to Elementary Language Arts __= = =

We would like users from all ages in Elementary school and teachers to be able to use our Wiki. Whether you are a student or a teacher, we would like to create an interactive and useful Wiki with helpful information on Language Arts. On our Wiki, you will find helpful links and information on proper grammar, fun and educational books, and ways to make Language Arts learning and teaching a grand old time!

Language Arts is crucial subject in all grade areas, but it is particularly important when in grade school. During the elementary years, children begin to explore our English language and really begin to understand the extent to which it can go. Let us look at this subject from a bigger point of view: the reason a boy from American cannot understand a boy from Russia is because of a language barrier. The only form of communication they have is through body language, though different forms of interpretation varies with cultures. It may be safe to assume your students come from a common background, culturally, and that body language is not an issue. When it comes to use of words, however, interpretation and understanding is everything. For example, if I were to compile a list of useful websites for help on pronoun grammar, I may title the section of the Wiki “All You Need to Know about Pronouns.” A grade-school student may literally interpret it as all the information in the world about pronouns within the English Language. This may be due to the naiveté of the child, and as the instructor, I should be familiar with the age group and ability of the students I am teaching. I may rename the section to “All You Need to Know about Pronouns for our 3rd Grade Class.” This shows that Language Arts is about knowing your audience and knowing how to use the English language. If an instructor is interested in reviewing their grade level standards on the national and state level, one can simply go to EducationWorld.com

Today's student will most likely be familiar with technology and to be a successful educator one must know how to effectively use technology in their classroom to reach students. In regards to language arts and understanding one's audience, a teacher may use websites to seek assistance with daily lesson plans, classroom activities, and simply find reading materials. Its important for an educator to evaluate the web-based teaching resource one uses because an educator needs to provide his or her class with credible information that aids the learning process rather than hinders it. One can review a web-based teaching resource through this form, EME2040-ELA Evaluation Form . The form is designed to aid Language Arts teachers in finding the best teaching resources available to them online, those that will best meet the needs of their students.Technology can also be used to make teaching and learning Language Arts fun. With websites like [|this online one], students can play fun games and learn at the same time. It is very interactive and will help students game technological and language skills all at once.

When creating an evaluation form for web-based teaching resources on must consider the criteria a website needs to possess if to be the most effective for educational purposes. Our evaluation form takes into consideration the organization of the site, the credibility of the site, the content within the site, and how the site can be used by language arts teachers. The 4 major components of our evaluation form are designed to quickly assess whether a language arts teacher can find true value in such a resource. The evaluation form is designed to be completed by the teacher, not a student. The site should be for teachers and address subject matter a language arts teacher would seek and be familiar with. An example of one site that could be evaluated by our form is a site that contains learning objectives for a language arts class and provides lesson plans, such as Teach-nology.com. We have have also completed two evaluation forms of our own web-based teaching resource, Hope Newhouse's Evaluation and Jaime-Leigh Salazar's Evaluation.

We believe that the criteria we have established for web-based teaching resources is crucial because of the stage in life you student’s are in. In grade school, a student’s brain acts as a sponge – any piece of information can be absorbed, stored, and used for the rest of their lives. It is an important time to [|stay healthy and make good choices] to help the body and mind grow to its' full capability. This is the perfect time to teach them all they need to know about the language but important to make sure the knowledge we impart is accurate. Language Arts will help students effectively communicate with peers, parents, teachers, and professionals of all sorts. Skills they learn now may help them earn that A on the midterm paper in college, or talk to their younger siblings about their everyday lives.

This Wiki will be all about Language Arts and the usefulness of the subject at an elementary level!