Describes a prewriting technique in which technical writing students are given a tool or mechanism with which they are unfamiliar and told to figure out what the object is from a series of clues. (HTH)

Uses a broad definition of technical writing (practical writing) as a backdrop for two freshman composition courses. Introduces a student planning sheet for "thinking in"--examining the audience and purpose of a writing assignment. (RL)

Discusses four stages through which writers pass during prewriting. Offers ways of helping students pass through these stages so that they can begin to organize their writing more effectively. (RL)

Suggests that students can improve the quality of their persuasive essays when the issue is first argued in the classroom. Discusses invention techniques and methods for students to conduct their own research surveys for support of their theses. (HTH)

Stresses the virtues of one technique and the limitations of another technique for focusing on a writing topic. (RL)

Suggestions are offered to help secondary and postsecondary language teachers think more deeply about speaking activities that prepare students for writing. Criteria for evaluating prewriting activities are discussed, along with brainstorming, collaborative concept mapping, and the 4/3/2 technique. (Contains 14 references.) (LB)

Teaching and learning activities for idea generation and planning, used to teach expository writing to university students in Singapore, are described. The techniques are applicable to both English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and English-as-a-first-language composition classes. (14 references) (LB)

The main tasks of the foreign language writing class should be to focus on the writing process and to help the students see their work as an act of communication with value in itself. An important means of encouraging good writing is the provision of good readers during the composition stage. A Swedish undergraduate course in English as a second…

Collected from classroom teachers across the United States, this idea exchange presents teaching activities that enliven the secondary school language arts classroom, engage student interest, and help teachers reflect on their teaching as part of their continued professional growth. The activities are divided into four sections: (1) literature,…

Numbers 3 through 5 of the 1981 TECFORS newsletter include these articles: "Pre-Writing Activities" (Sandra L. McKay); "Errors in Advanced-Level Discourse" (Robert B. Kaplan); "Sensory Imagery" (Elizabeth Jamison Hodges); "Introducing Advanced Concepts of Reading and Writing in the Beginning ESL Class"…

A student-centered noncredit writing course for students of English as a second language, designed to alleviate the problems of diverse class membership, consists of a series of composition assignments with topics determined by class interests and composition length determined by the student. The entire class participates in prewriting activities;…

Research on learning disabilities in students is reviewed, and classroom techniques for college instruction to support writing among these students are suggested. They include making an extra effort for clear classroom communication, dealing with errors in writing mechanics, helping students achieve coherence, giving hints for planning and…

Intended for classroom teachers who are interested in but apprehensive about starting a writing program, this journal article addresses some of the most common questions asked at workshops. The specific questions answered in the article are as follows: (1) How do I start? (2) What materials are needed? (3) How do I find time for student writing?…

The second phase of a 3-year project examining the effect of a process approach to writing instruction on students' expository reading and writing skills, a study determined the impact of three writing programs that emphasized different aspects of a process-oriented writing environment. Data were gathered from 159 fifth and sixth grade students…

The guide is designed for volunteer tutors of English as a second language (ESL). It consists of two parts: the guide itself, offering principles and methods for ESL instruction, and a report of the guide's development. The guide begins with by outlining basic principles and classroom considerations of ESL tutoring. The second chapter discusses…