Within the current political and educative context, where high-stakes standardized assessments create a pressure-filled experience for teachers to "teach to the test," time spent on writing instruction that supports students in transferring their learning between classroom and assessment contexts is crucial. Teachers who must use prompts to…

The authors suggest using scripting as a strategy to mentor and enhance author's voice in writing. Through gradual release, students use authentic literature as a model for writing with voice. The authors also propose possible extensions for independent practice, integration across content areas, and tips for evaluation.

Searches for examples of Authors Circles by talking with classroom teachers, surveying recent editions of this and other journals, and scanning library shelves for books on workshops and methods that incorporate student discussion with the teaching of writing. Discovers that descriptions of teacher-student conferences dominate explanations,…

Concludes that in classes where their writings are turned into books, even seven year olds gain a sense of audience and begin to write with their readers in mind. (FL)

Examines materials designed to improve children's writing or composition abilities. Focuses on whether the materials have students use the task/strategy/skill in such a way that they can transfer the task to other materials in reading or writing situations that serve a real function. (MG)

Presents and discusses a list of World Wide Web sites, and suggests possibilities for their use in creating writing-centered literacy experiences for students that promote both traditional and electronic literacy skills. Lists them in four major categories: teacher resources, student writing resources, interactive writing, and student publishing.…

Describes a writing project for middle school students in which they learn about the writing process by creating "choose your own adventure" stories. (MG)

Describes a plan for improving students' writing skills which was developed in a school for kindergarten through third grade students, and which incorporated parent participation and "publication" of student writing. (JC)