Discusses the ongoing dialogs concerning paradigm shifts in education, especially with regard to English instruction. Describes one teacher's experiences with the issue of paradigm shift in the form of a blues song. Shows how teachers can move beyond the questions of paradigms. (HB)

Investigates the value of a tiered model of staff development for five districts using "teacher consultants" drawn from a parent district with a long writing project history. Evaluates preconditions, processes and outcomes. Discusses results in terms of student achievement and classroom practices. (SR)

Discusses how English instruction has changed in recent decades, and questions whether the changes constitute a real "paradigm shift." Outlines the historical discussion regarding the changes as paradigm shift. Shows how paradigms have often come into sharp opposition through cultural exchanges. Advocates a constructivist paradigm. (HB)

Stephen P. Witte outlines a conceptual model useful for classifying research in written composition; Roy C. O'Connell surveys contents of volumes 1-10 of this journal; and Arthur Applebee and George Hillocks, Jr., trade comments about James Britton's study as reported in "The Development of Writing Abilities (11-18)." (GT)

Describes the development of a domain-referenced system intended to both describe and classify current writing assignments and to create composition assignments. (HOD)