Timeline

1950's

 * || 1950 || 1951 || 1952 || 1953 || 1954 || 1955 || 1956 || 1957 || 1958 || 1959 ||
 * Important Names ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Reading ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Writing ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Listening ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Speaking ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Grammar |||||||||||||||||||| The 1950's and 60's witnessed the advent of structural and transformational grammar, propagated by the incentives of structural linguistics, that sought to deal with grammar more "scientifically" than was traditionally taught; however, studies also show that such instructional methods are not much better than traditional grammar, even though English grammar was taught with the viewpoint of structural linguistics with an emphasis on the language away from strictures imposed by Latin from prior centuries (Weaver, 1996, pg. 11). The author concludes through the initial chapters on the history and teaching of grammar that formal grammar instruction does not benefit writing in any way, and is in fact harmful to students. ||
 * ESL ||  ||   || The Immigration and Nationality Act is created. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * SPED ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Broad Educational Theories ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Politics and Legislation ||  ||   ||   ||   |||||||||||| Brown v. BOE rules that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. ||
 * Significant Statistics ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Textbooks and Course Offerings ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Social Implications, Catalysts, Influential Factors ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||

1960's

 * || 1960 || 1961 || 1962 || 1963 || 1964 || 1965 || 1966 || 1967 || 1968 || 1969 ||
 * Important Names ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   |||| Ralph Yarborough (Bilingual Education Act) ||
 * Reading || Young Adult Literature gains recongition as a distinct genre in Library Journal, but remains ignored in school curriculums for most of the decade ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Writing || The Writer’s Workshop may have originally stemmed from the concept of “the open classroom,” which experienced some fame in British primary schools in the 1960s. The open classroom featured elements of self-directed learning, teacher creativity, and student freedom and trust (Allen, 1975) ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Donald Murray, one of the most prominent voices in the process writing movement, in A Writer Teaches Writing (first published in 1968), likened traditional writing instruction to magic. Students were taught that they somehow had to pull great essays out of thin air, like a magician: "writing may appear magic, but it is our responsibility to take our students backstage to watch the pigeons being tucked up the magician's sleeve." ||   ||
 * Listening ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Speaking ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Grammar ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ESL ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   |||| Ralph Yarborough: title 7 ||
 * SPED ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Broad Educational Theories ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Politics and Legislation ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Significant Statistics ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Textbooks and Course Offerings ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Social Implications, Catalysts, Influential Factors ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||

1970's

 * || 1970 || 1971 || 1972 || 1973 || 1974 || 1975 || 1976 || 1977 || 1978 || 1979 ||
 * Important Names ||  ||   ||   ||   || Carol Ann Tomlinson* ||   ||   ||   |||| Louise Rosenblatt, ||
 * Reading || Young Adult Literature increasingly finds it way into library collections at schools, still no real impact on classroom instruction. ||  ||   || Reader's Theatre ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Writing || Donald Graves started doing research with younger writers (Murray taught college composition) and integrating the process model into writing through primary and secondary school. Through this time, the process model was seen as a way of meeting writers on their own terms. For instance, there was great emphasis on letting them choose topics, on individual voices, and on personal relevance. The goal was not to emulate good writing, but on developing good, unique writers. ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Listening ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Speaking ||  ||   ||   || Reader's Theatre ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Grammar ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ESL ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * SPED ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Broad Educational Theories ||  ||   ||   ||   || Differentiated Instruction ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Politics and Legislation || Roe v. Wade created a controversy on both abortion and the rights of women. ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Significant Statistics ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Textbooks and Course Offerings ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Social Implications, Catalysts, Influential Factors || The role of women in society began to greatly change as the Feminist Movement continued into the 1970s. Women began to join the workforce in new areas of business, science, politics, etc. The protest came on the heels of the civil rights movement and generated a great deal of momentum for social and cultural classes. (Perhaps this would create a counter movement for male teachers?) ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||

1980's

 * || 1980 || 1981 || 1982 || 1983 || 1984 || 1985 || 1986 || 1987 || 1988 || 1989 ||
 * Important Names || Peter Elbow ||  ||   || Howard Gardner, Donald Graves ||   ||   ||   || Nanci Atwell, Lucy Calkins ||   ||   ||
 * Reading || Young Adult Literature begins to find advocates for bringing it into class as part of curriculum. Debates ensue as to how to evaluate quality of YA texts ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Writing ||  ||   ||   || Graves, Donald. //Writing: Teachers & Children at Work// (Heinemann, 1983) ||   || Murray, D. M. (1985). //A writer teaches writing//. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ||   |||||| In the Middle by Nanci Atwell ||
 * Listening ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Speaking ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Grammar ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ESL ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * SPED ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Broad Educational Theories ||  ||   ||   || Theory of Multiple Intelligences ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Politics and Legislation ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Significant Statistics ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Textbooks and Course Offerings ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Social Implications, Catalysts, Influential Factors || The Cold War continued to create negative sentiments between global relationships. This ideology (continuing from the last two decades) developed a huge rift as America's youth began to rebel against cultural norms. ||  ||   || A huge drug movement started that prompted Reagan to start a War on Drugs. This further highlighted the social segregation of high and low class. ||   || Personal computers became commercialized products. || The spaceship Challenger exploded during launch. Aside from being a national disaster, the first teacher in space Christa MacAuliffe was killed in the explosion. ||   ||   ||   ||

1990's
A useful teaching method. PBL revolves around a method of teaching that uses backwards design, guiding questions to lead students to authentic learning. PBL projects are often done in groups, use the community around the schools as a resource, and rely heavily on technology to share their new knowledge and their final products. ||
 * || 1990 || 1991 || 1992 || 1993 || 1994 || 1995 || 1996 || 1997 || 1998 || 1999 ||
 * Important Names ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Constance Weaver: //Teaching Grammar in Context// is a seminal text on the teaching of grammar within the practical context and applications of writing. This work summarizes numerous research studies on the subject of grammar and the futility, negligibility and lack of practical utility of traditional grammar instruction toward the benefit of writing skills. The text provides exemplary methods toward teaching grammar in the context of writing, with practical examples, as well as terminology for those who look to improve their grammar knowledge as well as how to teach and correct common grammar errors in student writing. ||   || Nancie Atwell reissues //In The Middle//, providing an authority on both reading and writing workshop appraoches || Noden, Harry R. (1999). //Image grammar: Using grammatical structures to teach writing//. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. ||
 * Reading || YA lit continues to build advocacy in classrooms. By the mid '90's YA becomes generally included in curriculum and push begins to integrate YA lit and multiculturalism in text choice ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Reading Workshop becomes more prominent through Nancie Atwell's work. ||   ||
 * Writing ||  ||   ||   ||   || The Writing WorkshopCalkins, L. (1994). //The art of teaching writing// (new ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. ||   ||   ||   || Writing workshop becomes more prominent through Nancy Atwell's work. ||   ||
 * Listening ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Speaking ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Grammar ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   |||||||| Teaching Grammar in Context- seminal grammar text ||
 * ESL ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   || Content-Based Instruction becomes more popular ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * SPED || IDEA adopted ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Broad Educational Theories ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Project-Based Learning surfaces across subject matters. ||   ||
 * Politics and Legislation ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   |||| A California law passed in 1998, Proposition 227, requires that all schools teach all children in English-speaking classrooms. One portion of the law states: "Children who are English learners shall be educated through sheltered English immersion during a temporary transition period not normally intended to exceed one year." (Prop 227 in full) As many educators can attest, most ELL/ESL students cannot make gains within one year that return their reading/writing skills to their age level. The major problems facing educators with ELL students are finding ways to create curriculum, assessments and instruction that works for both ELL and non-ELL students. ||
 * Significant Statistics ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Textbooks and Course Offerings ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Social Implications, Catalysts, Influential Factors ||  || The World Wide Web became more or less available to the public. ||   ||   || Instant messaging (The mother of text messaging!) was introduced by AOL. ||   ||   ||   || While generations of students who are born from immigrants in the last decade are beginning to attend schools, many of these students do not receive the proper foundations of the English language to escape being labeled as ELL at some point. Since English may not be the predominant language in many countries, the problem arises how to effectively transition these individuals into an "all English" school system. || Project Based Learning developed.

2000's
Tovani, C (2011). //So What Do They Really Know?.// Pembroke Publishers ||  ||
 * || 2000 || 2001 || 2002 || 2003 || 2004 || 2005 || 2006 || 2007 || 2008 || 2009 || 2010 || 2011 || 2012 ||
 * Important Names ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Troy Hicks ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Reading || YA Lit generally accepted as part of curriculum. Increasing focus on diversity, social issues, and broad impact of YA on school as a whole (i.e. summer reading programs, anti-bullying programs, etc. ||  || Differentiated Instruction emerges as a way to meet each child where they are. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Reading choice ||   || Reading Workshop
 * Writing ||  ||   || Differentiated Instruction emerges as a way to meet each child where they are. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Digital Writing: Troy Hicks is the leading practitioner and researcher in the field of technology and writing instruction. From his book entitled “The Digital Writing Workshop,” Hicks takes a writing workshop approach, which centers on students as writers and provides time and space for engagement in the writing process. Hicks (2009) focuses on “digital writing,” integrating newer literacies with the writing workshop to develop writing strategies. Hicks believes that digital writing should first focus on the writer, then the writing, and lastly technology. At the core of Hicks’ notion of digital writing lies the importance of changing teachers’ mind-set about using technology to improve students’ reading and writing skills in the classroom. According to Hicks (2009), “when we simply bring a traditional mind-set to literacy practices, and not a mind-set that understands new literacies…into the process of digital writing, we cannot make substantive changes to our teaching that need to happen in order to embrace the full potential of collaboration and design that digital writing offers” (p. 2). On his website, http://hickstro.org/, Hicks provides a vast amount of research material on technology and writing instruction, as well as the most current conversations concerning these topics.

Hicks, T. (2009). The digital writing workshop. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Listening ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Speaking ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Grammar ||  ||   ||   || Schuster, Edgar H. (2003). //Breaking the rules: Liberating writers through innovative grammar// //instruction//. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ESL ||  ||   || Differentiated Instruction emerges as a way to meet each child where they are. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   |||||||||| A great deal of research and discussion focuses on the use of early intervention at younger ages as producing more long-lasting results. In terms of secondary educations, the discussion shifts to content awareness and appropriate reading environments. Some articles also delve into the idea of (first language) English-speaking students that read and write at levels of typical ELL/ESL students. A lot of scholarly debate arises over methods to improve readership both at earlier ages and across time as life-long readers. A large portion of this discussion, however, hints at the negative opinions that ELLs have garnered over time. According to Rubenstein-Avila (2003) that many school environments and settings lead to negative opinions and interactions between teachers and ELL students. Teachers are told to not accommodate ELLs in many states (some by law) and these students are expected to catch up eventually. It seems many assume slowing down instruction for ELLs will negatively affect the rest of a mainstream class. This should, in essence, be the main problem as the ultimate goal should equal levels of age and grade levels for both reading and writing. ||
 * SPED ||  ||   || Differentiated Instruction emerges as a way to meet each child where they are. ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Broad Educational Theories ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   |||||||||| While generations of students who are born from immigrants in the last decade are beginning to attend schools, many of these students do not receive the proper foundations of the English language to escape being labeled as ELL at some point. Since English may not be the predominant language in many countries, the problem arises how to effectively transition these individuals into an "all English" school system. ||
 * Politics and Legislation ||  || NCLB-Game on bitches ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Significant Statistics ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   |||||||||| ESL: Over past few decades the number of foreign-born population has nearly tripled. According to a research article by NCTE an approximated 14 million people will enter the United States from another country. In the last twenty years, grades 7-12 saw the largest rises in ELLs with a nearly 70% increase (1). The problem facing many teachers - across the entire U.S. as opposed to border states - is a problem of how to raise reading levels anywhere from two to ten grades. What makes things worse is the fact that many, if not most, teachers are unprepared to accurately assess and accommodate these students. ||
 * Textbooks and Course Offerings ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Social Implications, Catalysts, Influential Factors ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || The internet and social networking has created many opportunities for students and many new changes for educators. The changes in social media and constant influxes of information have changed the way students communicate and learn. While many forms of technology can be used to educate, it is still debated whether technology is used to improved education or simply engage students in reading and writing. ||   ||   ||   ||