In an English class and a writing laboratory, dictating machines were used to increase skills of composition and to work out methods for the most advantageous use of the machines. Fifteen students out of a class of 100 used the machines for regular class work; in the laboratory, out of 70 volunteers, 35 were taught by tutors, and 35 were put to…

A workship program, designed as a noncredit adjunct to composition classes, was developed in order to serve the individual needs of college students. Close communication between regular course instructors and workshop staff was maintained, and the attempt was made to substitute a developmental philosophy of learning for the usual connotation of…

Intended for directors and teachers in high school and college writing labs, this booklet addresses their basic concerns about lab programs and the most effective ways to help students improve their writing skills. The 29 essays are arranged under six headings: the one-to-one tutoring process, diagnosing writing problems, tutor training, choosing…

An individualized program for teaching writing skills was initiated for high school students in a writing laboratory program. The major goal was to develop a systematic, individualized approach for teaching 300 specific writing skills. Major characteristics of the program included evaluation of student writing to diagnose and prescribe…

The basic structure of a writing laboratory at Purdue University, Indiana, is described in this paper. Physical facilities, record keeping plans, instructional approaches and materials, and evaluation methods are discussed. As a laboratory situation, the course was intended as a supplement to regular composition classes. Five graduate students and…

In order to establish the effects of three different levels of writing lab use on the writing proficiency and attitudes of remedial freshman composition students, three instructional modes were used. Writing lab students spent two hours a week in small group discussions and four hours in the lab, using autotutorial materials. Classroom lecture…

Advocates individualizing remedial writing courses at the college level and describes three programs that emphasize individual placement, focus on student writing rather than on workbook materials, and offer peer tutoring. (MKM)

The four components of quality instruction identified by Benjamin Bloom in "Human Characteristics and School Learning" (1976) form the basis of a remedial composition program designed for disadvantaged junior college students. The first component, cues for learning, is programed into the packets of student materials. These cues include identifying…