Argues that the perennial problem of boring student writing is solved when assignments provide writers with target readers, enabling students to find their appropriate voice. Discusses a sample assignment in which students explain how to do something they do well to readers who don't know how to do it. (JG)

Offers an approach to using film as an object of analysis for writing classes having no previous knowledge of film terms and techniques. Provides 19 study questions to stimulate identification and a description of a director's techniques to facilitate an interpretation of what the film means. (JG)

Describes and compares the major approaches to organizing a writing course, classifying them under the following four terms: traditional modes, process, epistemic, and stylistic. Discusses the basic tenets of each teaching philosophy, suggests appropriate textbooks, and identifies various ways of implementing these approaches in the classroom. (JG)

Presents an assignment sequence, based on James Moffett's sequence of narrative types, designed to teach the various points of view most often used by authors. Provides instructions, including names of model texts for students to write pieces imitating such narrative techniques as interior monologue, correspondence, dramatic monologue, diary,…

Argues that writing assignments should (1) specify audience, purpose, and topic, (2) define rhetorical problems, (3) incorporate stages of the composing process, (4) provide timely feedback to avoid cognitive overload, and (5) follow some developmental sequence. Describes several assignments based on letter writing. (JG)

Asks what can an advanced composition course offer its students that is both new and valuable to all of them despite the diversity of students' fields and career goals? Argues that job-related writing requires special attention to audience. Suggests ways to organize course content to develop audience awareness. (JG)

Describes three research report projects for second graders used in the science and social studies curriculum. Outlines class discussion strategies, sequential stages, use of notecards, encyclopedias, and other sources (including parents) for researching animal topics, biography projects, and studies of a farm. (JG)

Notes that when assigned writing topics requiring sophisticated reading students circumvent interpretation by rewriting the text in their personal idiom. Suggests that since meaning is discovered through process, students should be given numerous opportunities to respond to the same text. Offers several kinds of response activities. (JG)

Discusses style-developing assignments in which students simulate the characteristic features of a distinctive manner of speaking. Suggests using impersonation as an invention strategy (e.g., by adopting a controversial persona position), and to encourage stylistic fluency through parodies, dialogues, or polyphonic essays. Also suggests using…

Noting that combining reading instruction with writing instruction is more effective than teaching writing alone, describes and evaluates various sequential activities and exercises to promote involved reading. Includes mapping, summarizing, synthesizing, and critiquing assigned readings, all of which lead to the research paper. (JG)

Discusses ways to teach faculty in other disciplines about writing. Offers several writing assignments for interdisciplinary faculty workshops, provides guidelines for conducting such workshops, and outlines desiderata of the content area writing assignment. Appendixes include student writing assignments from courses in various disciplines. (JG)

Presents findings of a survey of participants in writing across the curriculum workshops at the University of Vermont. Notes that although nearly every class requires student writing, the kind of assignment is generally informational, does not engage discovery and direct involvement with material, and requires writing in the particular…

Describes a writing based course in freshman world literature and summarizes tests, writing assignments, and class activities used in teaching "The Odyssey,""Metamorphoses,""Hamlet," and other works. (JG)

Argues that since students often articulate their meaning in speaking better than they can in writing, teachers should improve their awareness of speech and writing connections. Describes such relationships and suggests teaching strategies using speech to improve writing. Covers group composition, reading aloud, transcribing prewriting…

Discusses the values of publishing student writing (among them increased audience awareness), describes one writing project's procedures for formulating topics by daily expressive writing on a literary topic, outlines procedures for evaluating, responding positively to, and publishing this daily writing, and enumerates benefits for teacher and…