As a teacher of Bowling Green State University's English 3810, Grammar and Writing, the author is charged with teaching future language arts teachers how to teach grammar so that it actually helps their students become better writers and communicators. Because such teaching rejects the ineffective but time-honored drill-it-and-kill-it approach, in…

Charges postsecondary education pays scant attention to developments outside their circle (such as the whole language movement), and thus are hindered in teaching the newest generation of college students. Discusses the whole language movement, its importance, its relationship to freshman composition theory, whether it challenges contemporary…

Discusses the achievement of James Moffett in the field of language arts instruction, particularly by studying his seminal work "A Student-Centered Language Arts Curriculum, K-12," and the changes made in the 4 editions of the book from 1968 to 1992. Claims that Moffett continues to be ahead of his time in his chosen field. (HB)

Intended for college students and other writers, this book contains a detailed, step-by-step description of the writing process, from prewriting and brainstorming to polishing the mechanics of a final draft. The book is divided into five major sections. Part 1 is a broad introduction to the natural language attitude toward learning to write. Part…

A writing instructor/graduate student investigated elements essential in helping and empowering student writers, while embarking on her own journey for a Ph.D. in rhetoric. Getting more knowledge is the catalyst that started the journey and includes the following stops: Philosophiville, Theory Town, Rhetorical Junction, and Writing Center City. Of…

Within the field of composition, classical rhetoric was re-discovered in the early 1960s; that interest has been for the most part confined to the first three of the five parts of classical rhetoric--invention, arrangement, and style--with memory and delivery being ignored or, at least, neglected. Recent interest in "the speaking-writing…

Explains how whole language classes differ from traditional developmental classes and illustrates how both African American and Caucasian students benefit from a whole language approach. Makes a case for the importance of using African American literature as well as other literature. Describes reading and writing assignments. (TB)

Outlines the potential for using whole language for remediation of reading disabilities. Criticizes current approaches to remediation. Discusses six principles of whole language instruction that are effective for remediation. Describes four whole-language programs that have successfully remediated students. Suggests alternative assessment…

Early childhood education majors enrolled in a reading methods course completed a questionnaire on teaching writing. In general, the students supported a process approach to teaching writing, believed that such an approach could be easily implemented in a classroom, and intended to use a process approach themselves. (PCB)

Discusses the concept of a "literacy of thoughtfulness" for all students, characterized by the ability to think critically and creatively, to solve problems, exercise judgment, access, assimilate, and apply information, and communicate effectively with others. Suggests that thoughtfulness is inescapably bound up with culture. (KEH)

The 15 essays in this book reveal the complexity of teaching writing, with some contributors calling into question the gap between classroom theory and classroom practice as seen through students' and tutors' perspectives. The book analyzes the cornerstone of theory and proposes a reexamination of some taken-for-granted composition practices.…

A study examined the efffect of a restructured preservice literacy methods course on the attitudes and beliefs of three preservice teachers. The major goals of the restructured course were to develop substantive and lasting changes in the preservice teachers' conceptual understandings and theoretical perspectives about literacy teaching, and to…

Professors in a Communication Arts methods course for preservice and inservice elementary school teachers sought to move the content of the language arts curriculum from a direct instruction to a whole language model. A transformation came about as one professor realized that her efforts to enthusiastically convey the importance of authentic…

Writing teachers are currently faced with another paradigm shift. Some 25 years ago, a fledgling field of composition studies advocated the switch from a traditional product view to a process view of teaching writing. Recently, new studies and books are emerging which critique this view as insufficient. The pragmatic view of writing instruction…

This book is designed to introduce active or preservice teachers to the new advances in understanding of the reading and writing processes and to show them how to apply this knowledge to enhance literacy skills in elementary through high school levels. An introduction opens with two case illustrations of different classes with different approaches…