An educator reviews IBM's newest entry into the educational market--a program that promises to teach kindergartners and first graders reading through writing. The program consists of four separate activities through which students are cycled. Brief descriptions of these activities and list of hardware needed are also provided. (JN)

Through the use of WORDSWORTH II, the faculty at Michigan Technological University have found that computer-assisted instruction can be useful in teaching students the processes involved in revision. A series of computer programs, WORDSWORTH II is available outside of and in addition to regular classroom instruction and offers students effective…

Existing and potential applications of the computer to writing instruction are outlined, including choosing and developing a subject, text analysis, simulation, and motivation. Some concerns about computer use in writing instruction are also discussed. (MSE)

Prewriting programs using computers fall into two broad categories: interactive and noninteractive. An early example of a noninteractive program is that of Ellen Nold, called "Cinnamon." Its purpose was to present the student with a series of content questions. In answering such questions, the student would be accumulating a set of data…

The home's supportive setting, which has the potential to encourage children to share their thoughts and feelings through spoken language, is the basis of the home's strength as a communicative context. Teachers can help extend this sharing of meaning by creating classroom environments in which written language experiences and microcomputer-based…