Discusses how junk mail letters can be used to teach students about rhetorical choices and the process of writing. (SRT)

Explores how poetry differs from other modes of discourse and how poetry should be taught. (AEA)

Explains the microthemes technique, which involves students responding to assignments chosen to emphasize various forms of writing and thinking with written products no larger than 5 x 8 inch note cards. Reviews four types of microthemes used at Montana State University, explaining the activity and the writing and thinking skills developed. (DMM)

The ideas collected in this twentieth edition of "Ideas Plus" come from two sources: ideas submitted at an Idea Exchange session at a National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention or Spring Conference, and contributions by readers of "Classroom Notes Plus" and "Ideas Plus." Some of the teaching practices described in this book are…

This article describes an activity to generate interest in writing and ownership of the learning experience by students with learning disabilities. An object is placed in a bag, a volunteer describes the item by feeling it, students draw the item, and students then discuss the importance of expressing ideas clearly. (JDD)

Written by a workplace literacy teacher, this writing curriculum guide contains information, reflections, and student handouts for teaching writing to adult students. Topics covered include motivation to write, misconceptions about writing, the writing process (rehearsal, drafting, revision, editing, and publishing), spelling, and voice. (KC)

Briefly described is an instructional activity, the "Short Story Booklet," designed to aid exceptional students in grades 7-12 to put their thoughts on paper. The students write stories using processes of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing and compile them into booklets. (DB)

Describes a teaching method for reading and writing instruction to be used with college developmental reading students that involves writing reactions to editorials in the campus newspaper. (SRT)

Describes a project that provided students with the opportunity to observe and comment on their own writing throughout the year through observations of their childhood writing, a series of journal writings, and writing taken through revision. (EL)

An experiment in which students were required to keep journals during a civil engineering course is described. Student benefits (journals as problem-solving tools and forums for personal comments), faculty benefits (sources of background information and use as evaluation/recordkeeping tools), and five major conclusions are discussed. (JN)

Suggests using the writing folder for such reasons as gaining an improved description and assessment of individual growth in writing, getting a better descriptive picture of writing achievement within the class, and assisting teachers in improving their assessment of writing. (EL)

Intended for teachers of 3- to 8-year-old children who want to extend their students' knowledge about the nature of reading and writing, this book discusses works of children's literature which show people (and sometimes not only people) engaging in literacy acts that are meaningful, interesting, and fun. The book examines the nature of these…

This book emphasizes a comprehensive treatment of all areas of the language arts and advocates interrelating the teaching of the language arts and integrating this teaching with the teaching of other areas of the curriculum. The book contains the following chapters: (1) "Language and the Language Arts"; (2) "Teaching the Language Arts"; (3)…

Noting that students in groups learn more effectively when working cooperatively than when working competitively or individualistically, presents guidelines, assignments, and class activities designed to foster cooperative learning. Describes such student-student interaction sessions as describing sense perception details, receiving peer feedback,…

This book, part of a series which serve as guides for K-12 teachers who are striving to align lively, classroom-tested practices with standards, gathers together brief articles spotlighting suggestions for effective instruction. Beginning with activities that help students think through the audience and purpose for their writing, this book offers…