The authors are faculty in history and English, respectively, at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York. What their students want and need, and what the institution's role in the community should be, remain open questions, with policy implications at the departmental, college, city, and even national level. Indeed, President Obama…

Discusses how film offers a vehicle for observation and imitation, providing writers with a more accurate image of how they perform. Refers to three films: "Before the First Word", "Telling an Old Story", and "Pieces of a Puzzle" that have become the basis for insightful and fruitful discussions about writing. (JK)

Discusses ways to integrate computers effectively into the freshman English course. Addresses some objections to using computers in the composition classroom. (MM)

Describes methods for teaching student writers basic principles of organization. Argues that teachers should help their students learn the process of discovering organizations appropriate for their material instead of merely teaching traditional forms of written organization. (HB)

Describes some of the insights that an Eastern perspective, particularly the tradition of Zen, might give to the act of writing. (HOD)

Describes a first-day assignment for writing courses called a "writing autobiography" in which the student is asked to identify and assess their own strengths and weaknesses as writers. Argues for the value of having students consider their processes as writers. (HB)

Describes the Coastal Georgia Writing Project, a part of the National Writing Project. Argues that more two-year college English teachers should join the National Writing Project network. (HB)

Discusses how the author and a colleague made a short videotape of students talking about their writing experiences. Describes first steps, arrangements and questions, the shoot itself, and crafting the video. Discusses uses of this video, noting the impact this infusion of student voices can have in the composition classroom, influencing the way…

Describes a successful approach used by the author in "Composition and Literature" courses which teaches students to write in a relaxed manner about material unnatural to them (literary texts). Describes focusing on communicating to a generally ignorant reader who is knowledgeable about the work. Argues that papers became clearer as the semester…

Outlines detrimental effects of word processing in the composition classroom on planning, reading, organizing, revising, error detection, and spelling and vocabulary skill development. Discusses strategies instructors can use to teach students to use the computer at each stage of the writing process in ways that encourage and develop the…

Argues that with the merging of old and new pedagogies in teaching writing, composition course methodology is becoming confusing. Asserts that unless composition courses become places to learn through writing, students are being shortchanged. (RAE)

Six core principles which serve as guides for instruction with a cognitive-developmental approach to composition are discussed. This approach combines writing as problem solving with recognition of external factors that influence writing. (HTH)

Describes methods for teaching student writers by bringing in the literary concept of metaphor. Argues that such a method of writing instruction helps students to develop skills of imagination and logical reasoning. Claims that metaphors can help underprepared students control the chaos called the writing process. (HB)

Suggests that students keep writing logs (a record of problems and solutions, techniques, and strategies) as a way to develop conscious control of their writing processes. (RAE)

Reviews the tensions between discourse-centered writing instruction and expressivist approaches. Considers the conflict when the writing instructor's approach differs from the writing tutor's approach. Explores the possibilities of a reflective response style of writing instruction. Advocates such an approach as a useful means of fostering writing…