Assimilation and accommodation are two approaches for developing language arts curricula for gifted elementary grade students. Some adaptations, such as more individualized reading may be readily assimilated into existing curricula. Other changes, such as providing opportunities for technical writing, require more accommodation of current methods,…

Suggestions are provided for including writing from personal experience as a part of the school's curriculum. The philosophy is that experience in the real world provides motivation for writing. (KC)

Provides an overview of the "social constructionist" approach to teaching composition in sociology courses. Describes a course that is team taught by the authors and is based on the social constructionist paradigm. Stresses that sociological writing is a special type of discourse that can be taught most effectively by sociologists who…

Describes the four general categories of advanced technical writing courses: genre courses, general communication courses, rhetorical theory or history courses, and courses that use special pedagogical techniques or focus on a certain aspect of technical communication. Discusses implications for planning advanced courses. (HTH)

Discusses the dilemma that writing across the curriculum (a strategy for teaching writing which started in the 1970's) presents for science professors and for science majors. One area addressed is how the strategy can interfere with the teaching of college-level science subject matter. (JN)

Poses questions--and some answers--essential to the development and expansion of technical communication offerings beyond the basic course in technical writing. (RL)

Considers the situations of "interdisciplinary writing," writing done in correspondence with subjects other than English. Describes some methods and experiences in teaching interdisciplinary writing in a college level "Writing Science" course. (JT)

This article discusses recent thoughts and findings concerning the value of creative writing for gifted students and best practices for its instruction. Discussed are a five-step plan for curriculum development, the use of literary models as keys for discussion and emulation, and the complexities of evaluating student work in such a subjective…

A detailed account of how a high school playwriting course was developed, with a list of 20 exercises. (RL)

The Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) movement has gone from valuable but less effective individual efforts to organized, district- and campus-supported projects based on goals for improved student learning in every area and every program. On the college level, WAC takes two forms: a more traditional, formally structured approach from faculty…

The article outlines a classroom-tested holistic language arts curriculum for the junior high resource room. The program covers reading, vocabulary building, comprehension, use of visual aid strategies, use of auditory/linguistic comprehension strategies, writing, listening, and speaking. Advantages of the curriculum include individualization,…

Discusses need for development of keyboarding skills at the elementary school level; issues to be addressed when developing keyboarding curricula (criterion for competence, how much is necessary, time needed, who should teach and how); and program considerations (hardware, curriculum, principles of instruction, instructional periods, classroom or…

A legal research and writing course at Stetson University is described that follows a separate legal bibliography course (one credit hour) for freshmen. Having completed the legal bibliography course, students progress more rapidly with better results in the research and writing course. (MLW)

Surveys recent trends in the area of clear writing. Discusses the problem of incomprehensible language in functional writing (forms and documents). Considers solutions, particularly those developed by the Document Design Center. (PD)

Instructors' knowledge of linguistics can affect the way they teach writing. For example, in traditional linguistics, O. Jespersen's important contribution is his descriptive rather than prescriptive study of English in a historical context. Writing teachers influenced by Jespersen will place students in writing situations where they do not rely…