Argues that new resources are needed to help teachers prepare students for the new General Certificate in Secondary Education (GCSE) examination. Compares previous examinations with new examinations to illustrate the problem. Presents textbooks, workbooks, computer programs, and other curriculum materials to demonstrate the gap between resources…

The implicit assumption behind personal writing assignments given at the beginning of a writing course is that personal essays eliminate the writing apprehension of having nothing to say. However, college freshmen find it very difficult to write about themselves and their own opinions because this writing involves abstract mental processes and…

This newsletter contains five articles. The first, "Discourse Structure in Reading," by Ron Shook, suggests that reading materials for the beginning ESL (English as a second language) reader often have three defects: (1) profusion of detail as question fodder; (2) an oversimplified syntax; and (3) an artificial construction that violates…