Introduces briefly the social, meaning-based linguistic perspective of genre. Describes how written language is different from oral language. Shows the complexity of written language structure by illustrating how the "element of description" is realized in various written genres. Examines the implications of making genre a more critical…

A restatement of the theory of reading developed by the author over the years, a defense of a whole-language comprehension-centered approach to teaching, and an attack on the back-to-basics movement. (DD)

Provides an overview of "ElectroText," a program to develop electronically enhanced versions of short stories for use in middle school language arts programs for at-risk students. Describes the setting and instructional context, the strategies used to gather information about what students did when they read in a hypertext environment,…