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Narrowing of the curriculum because of standardised testing has caused creativity to be neglected in many schools; integration into reading instruction may provide a solution. This repeated measures study incorporated figural transformation drawings after a read-aloud of a book highlighting nutrition information as a way to both review book comprehension and integrate creativity. Nineteen second graders, aged 7-9 years from Iowa, USA, participated in 16 weekly trials, alternating between a nonfiction nutrition book and a fantasy book presenting true nutrition concepts. Results showed significantly greater creativity generally and in specific creative skill areas under the fantasy condition.

Word play is an important skill allowing product names, show titles, jokes, poetry and other writings or orations to be interesting, entertaining and well-remembered. This pretest--posttest counterbalanced study compared two instructional approaches for teaching second and third grade students (n = 71) word play skills. Students at a public elementary school in Iowa, United States studied vowel patterns and rhyming as part of the regular school curriculum for literacy through two conditions: a traditional format of reading, pocket charts, worksheets and oral discussion; versus a more concrete approach of arranging objects and corresponding word cards in a chart-like formation. There was no significant difference in student performance between the conditions but an attitude survey indicated that a large majority of students preferred the object boxes for understanding of word play concepts and task enjoyment.

Narrowing of the curriculum because of standardised testing has caused creativity to be neglected in many schools; integration into reading instruction may provide a solution. This repeated measures study incorporated figural transformation drawings after a read-aloud of a book highlighting nutrition information as a way to both review book comprehension and integrate creativity. Nineteen second graders, aged 7-9 years from Iowa, USA, participated in 16 weekly trials, alternating between a nonfiction nutrition book and a fantasy book presenting true nutrition concepts. Results showed significantly greater creativity generally and in specific creative skill areas under the fantasy condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Word play is an important skill allowing product names, show titles, jokes, poetry and other writings or orations to be interesting, entertaining and well-remembered. This pretest–posttest counterbalanced study compared two instructional approaches for teaching second and third grade students (n = 71) word play skills. Students at a public elementary school in Iowa, United States studied vowel patterns and rhyming as part of the regular school curriculum for literacy through two conditions: a traditional format of reading, pocket charts, worksheets and oral discussion; versus a more concrete approach of arranging objects and corresponding word cards in a chart-like formation. There was no significant difference in student performance between the conditions but an attitude survey indicated that a large majority of students preferred the object boxes for understanding of word play concepts and task enjoyment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]