Asserting that the mind of the creative reader operates precisely like the mind of the creative writer, the author examines theories of the psychology of poetic composition, in order to draw implications for the teaching of literature. (SJL)

Describes the process one sixth grader went through in writing a short story and analyzes what this reveals about writing and the teaching of writing. (DD)

Argues that educators need to demystify the writing process so that students can approach the world of literature realistically. Suggests that exposure to how writers work and to the kinds of situations from which they draw inspiration can provide insights into what is required of a would-be writer. (FL)

Describes "Plausible Stories," an activity which uses creative writing and story predictions to help teachers exploit the interactive nature of the processes of reading and writing. (MS)

Argues that when a classroom provides an environment that promotes writing, students have the resources, time, and opportunity to create collaborative stories. Describes how, in a third-grade classroom, three girls unite to write a series of humorous stories through group negotiation and class prompting. (CR)

The Story Train is a non-profit, elementary literacy program dedicated to the development of creative writing and critical thinking skills. Those objectives are achieved through a variety of specific techniques utilized to inspire students. The four components of the program are workshop, residency, television production, and an Internet site. The…

Richard Hugo's thinking about teaching creative writing can enhance the composition classroom: he offered both practical pointers about writing and advice about self-discovery for all writers. His pedagogy was directed at the most common elements in all writers--their humanity and their relationships to language, ideas, and feelings. "The…

Students at Hume-Fogg Academic High School in Nashville, Tennessee do every kind of writing, have won numerous writing awards, and have published everything from chapbooks to articles in national literary magazines. According to the creative writing teacher, students are first taught to write about things they know--to go back to their own…

Often when teaching creative writing to grade school and middle school students, teachers encounter two problems: students state that they do not have anything to write about, or students keep their poetic voices quiet and imitate the examples that they are given. If students are encouraged to mentally create images of poetic forms and to write…

Outlines ways to encourage students to think of writing as an act as simple as talking and gives practical suggestions for encouraging writing in the classroom. (SRT)

The phenomenon of a "secondary world"--the world of imagination created by writers of fiction in which writers and readers mentally participate--is described. Theories on the subject are discussed, and a three-dimensional model of the psychological structure of this world is presented. (PP)

Examines how different types of prewriting activities, teacher motivations, and classroom environments influence the student writing process. (MM)

Presents an interview with medical doctor Richard Selzer, author of memoirs, essays, fiction and nonfiction. Discusses how a doctor must suppress and compartmentalize lust and revulsion "for certain ugly facts of the flesh." Addresses Selzer's continuing passion for writing, how he gets his ideas, and what it took for him to give up…

Describes one high school English teacher's experiment with assigning stories instead of analytical essays. Argues for retelling and storytelling as a valuable resource in the high school curriculum. (RAE)

A former reading teacher, now a successful author of children's books, shares her own creative thoughts on how teachers can encourage children to become readers and writers. (ET)