Describes ERIC resources that present research on children's language usage and development and that suggest activities for the promotion of language development. (ET)

Promising practices in the adult English-as-a-Second-Language literacy field that were observed by researchers during site visits are described in this digest. These innovative programs provide a social context for literacy, allow learning through hands on experience, and use learner-generated materials. Some programs may use the native language…

A review of literature on error correction shows a lack of agreement on the benefits of error correction in second language learning and confusion on which errors to correct and the approach to take to correction of both oral and written language. This monograph deals with these problems and provides examples of techniques in English, French,…

An increasing number of U.S. high school graduates enter college while still in the process of learning English. Referred to as generation 1.5 students because they share characteristics of both first- and second-generation immigrants, they do not fit into any of the traditional categories of nonnative English speakers enrolled in college writing…

Poetry can be used in the adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classroom with all learners, even those with limited literacy and proficiency in English. Learners can read, discuss, and write about poems and how they speak to their lives. They can create poems of their own to express their feelings, thoughts, or beliefs. This digest suggests…

Many teachers of adult learners of English have found dialogue journals, interactive writing with a teacher or other individual, to be an important part of their classes. Dialogue journals not only open new channels of communication, but they also provide natural contexts for language and literacy development. When adult learners write with their…

This publication describes the development, implementation, and success of the Ganado Language Arts Development (GLAD) Project on the Navajo reservation in northeastern Arizona which develops the foundation for literacy in each student, expands and enriches pedogogical competencies of staff in teaching language arts, and develops/strenghtens…

Reviews materials in the ERIC system that level criticisms at creative writing in the schools and that present suggestions for activities that promote good writing that is also creative. (HTH)

This digest reviews children's writing development from socio-cultural, generative, and developmental perspectives. The digest's first section deals with oral language, art, and children's early writing, noting that children use their drawing and talk to support their early exploration and use of print. The second section examines how, in addition…

A text-editing approach to composition in the foreign language classroom is set forth. In a 15-week composition course meeting three times each week, students prepare a weekly composition that they will revise after an in-class text-editing session involving several student papers. The third day is devoted to grammar work. Criteria for evaluating…

Describes the ERIC system and how teachers can use it. Annotates materials in the system of interest to elementary school language arts teachers, dealing with composition instruction. (HTH)

The teaching of writing to students who speak nonstandard English can be difficult because students' linguistic differences rarely indicate true incompetence, and students' writing problems may result from conflicts between the cultures and language uses at home and school. Factors found to encourage writing improvement are the following: (1)…

This booklet, part of a series of information resources for teachers, focuses on integrating speech communication activities into writing programs for older students. The activities described have been tested in the integrated skills program at the University of Massachusetts and include concrete plans, assignments, learning activities, and…

This ERIC "FAST Bib," which focuses on gender issues in language and writing, presents annotations of 23 ERIC documents and journal articles published between 1987 and 1991. The first section of the FAST Bib is an overview; the second section is divided between issues that are relevant to the elementary and secondary levels and issues that emerge…

Presents abstracts of documents reporting computer applications in reading and language arts. (AEA)