Integrating supportive design features and technology into the home are excellent ways to plan to make a home "age-friendly." When an immediate need occurs for eliminating barriers in an existing home, supportive design features and technology will most often need to be examined, and some form of implementation will need to take place. While…

A class newsletter can help students learn about each other while they gain important social, writing, and interviewing techniques. Computer programs to produce a newsletter, to do word processing, and to manage data are described. (MT)

Describes a study showing that primary grade students can benefit from using a word processor in activities that involve the creation of text. Suggests activities that further extend the value of the word processor in language arts instruction. (EL)

Presents a how-to guide for producing student booklets with a word processor. Steps in the production process are discussed including formatting the text, layout, editing, and final paste-up and printing. (MBR)

Provides ways to use the standard functions of word processors to help students effectively edit on-screen "soft copy" as well as ways to counter the illusion of perfection caused by drafts printed on high-resolution laser printers with proportional fonts. (RS)

Describes several uses for computers in the English classroom, including word processing, typing practice, and networking. (MM)

Organization and word processing software programs empower students with disabilities to become more independent in their writing. In this article, the authors describe techniques for incorporating organizational programs and word processing features into the writing process. Beneficial features include word prediction, voice output, spell…

Describes how to use word processing with first graders in lessons exploring oral and written language via the computer. Suggests ways to use the language experience approach in whole-class as well as small-group instruction. (SR)

The article describes how to use a word processing program and add-on story starters for different genres to enhance elementary students' creative writing skills. Teachers input story starters, then students select a genre and add on a story version in that genre. Students can also develop their own story starters. (SM)

Educators at elementary, middle, and high school levels will find that integrating digital tools and resources--many commonly used by students in their "out of school" lives--can be a springboard to creativity and new skills. In this article, the author describes how word processors, presentation software and hardware, mind-mapping applications,…

Examines a number of language activities in educational software, noting that most focus on surface structure and conventions, thus closing off students' options rather than expanding them. Discusses how, by improvising with word processors, teachers can tailor activities to help students explore and reflect on their reading and writing…

Six practical computer-oriented classroom activities are presented. They include making cryptograms using the search-and-replace function of word processors, making a frame for a Logo picture, examining Atari POKE commands, and comparing equivalent commands on different microcomputers. Also indicates the usefulness of marking on monitors with…

Describes study of elementary students that was conducted to assess the impact of microcomputers on classroom organization, interaction between teachers and students, and student learning. Teacher characteristics and their influence on learning outcomes are discussed, and a study that used computers for a writing project is described. (nine…

Desktop Adventures are computer-based scenarios incorporating the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics for practicing problem solving across the curriculum suitable for whole class or cooperative group instruction. Reviews problem solving steps and approaches and describes introducing, creating, and extending desktop…

Describes how "The Children's Writing and Publishing Center" (a desktop publishing program for elementary students) combines word processing with computer graphics and motivates students to write letters. (MM)