Teaching writing is complex, and a number of ideas circulating among schools and teachers often belie the difficulty of how to teach the techniques and processes of writing. I've come to believe that authorship is not a passive undertaking and does not originate in the struggle to put something onto the page. Rather it emerges by living with a…

Writing-intensive courses have become part of parks and recreation undergraduate curriculum across the United States. Writing is an important skill for future parks and recreation professionals as it is an essential skill needed to develop programs and staff training, marketing and fundraising campaigns, and to conduct and disseminate research…

We present a writing task designed to increase students' awareness of chemistry-specific writing practices. This easy-to-use-and-grade task requires students to evaluate 10 short passages, a table, and a figure, representative of excerpts from Introduction, Experimental, Results, and Discussion sections of a journal article. Most of the items…

The trend toward implementing models for Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTL) for academic support in higher education is gaining momentum. Whether due to external influences, such as the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, which promotes inquiry about teaching and learning, or more related to internal forces such as…

Discusses the four critical characteristics of a teaching style which offers hands-on science experiences in the outdoors that lead to writing activities. Provides examples from the Alaska Writing Program which is modeled after the Bay Area Writing Project. (MG)

Identifies three characteristics of writing programs that appear to facilitate the writing process: (1) teacher characteristics such as patience and understanding interest; (2) supporting, flexible, and organized classroom environment; and (3) varied, interesting, and relevant learning opportunities. Provides examples from classrooms in Great…

Cross-curricular instruction, multi-disciplinary study, interdisciplinary learning, reading and writing across the curriculum, thematic instruction, integrated learning--are these just the latest buzz words, more education-speak, the latest trend? Or are they more than that? In Botetourt County at the Greenfield Education Center, these words have…

Describes a method for integrating writing into history classes. Suggests keeping writing assignments short and simple, rather than assigning a long paper that will be a burden to the instructor during grading. Discusses journal writing, pretest writing exercises, and microthemes written on a single index card. (DK)

Discusses two upper division writing-intensive courses, Sociological Theory and Sociology of Religion, offered at Millsaps College (Mississippi). Argues that greater emphasis on writing in the upper-division sociology courses allows students to become better learners and better sociologists. (DB)

After completing a unit of study entitled "Reading the Daily Newspaper" under the leadership of a teaching team consisting of student teachers and cooperating teachers, sixth-grade pupils wrote a newspaper for their parents describing their experiences in different curriculum areas in the classroom. Guided by the teaching team, student…

Describes an activity in which students communicate with real science professionals. This activity requires students to develop a science question, select the appropriate scientist or science professional, and draft and send a letter. Includes tips for developing a resource list of cooperating science professionals, guiding students in developing…

Maintains that creative writing should be no less a part of the elementary social-studies writing program than other expository forms. Discusses using the poetic form, the cinquain, to teach about Mexican vaqueras and vaqueros in an elementary unit on the American Southwest. Includes illustrations and instructional materials. (MJP)

Presents a lesson plan that uses subordinating conjunctions and prepositions as "magic words." After a lesson or unit of study, students write content specific sentences using the "magic" conjunctions and prepositions. This activity serves as a unit review, helps with concept formation, and increases writing skills. (MJP)

Discusses the use of individual and group journals as a way to develop students' abilities to critically analyze reading materials in a college level sociology course. Describes the process by which the journals are written and evaluated. Contends that the learning strategy improved students' analytical abilities and writing skills. (CFR)