When asked by a principal to design a workshop for ELA and ESL teachers on addressing new ESL regulations, the author suggested that they offer professional development that might inspire teachers to try new practices that could help their students grow as writers. The author decided to devote a workshop not to rules and regulations, but to…

Describes the Athens Writing Project, how it began, and the role it has served and continues to serve. Discusses the issue of voice, and describes a reflective writing sequence used in the project. (SR)

Presents eight teachers' accounts of professional growth activities designed to empower teachers to make choices for professional renewal according to their individual needs and interests. (RS)

Outlines reasons for having programs for the gifted. Describes the gifted instructional program at the author's high school. (JT)

Looks at the missions and goals of the International Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English, a global multicultural network promoting communication and cooperation for international exchange of teaching practices, literature, literacy, curriculum development, and research in English. Suggests some criteria to look at when…

Tells English teachers how to develop a speech program using skills that are similar to those used in essay writing. Shows how the following steps in the speech-making process can be divisions in the course: purpose, audience, content, delivery, and evaluation. (EL)

Details the history of California's experience with large-scale writing assessment. Describes the introduction, development, and scoring of the California Assessment Program, later renamed the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS). Discusses controversies over removal of certain writing prompts and objections to CLAS. Notes that funding for…

Describes the Pacesetter English course and its seven units of study. Outlines the program's objectives and methods. (HB)

A combination of drills, quizzes, journal writing, and creative class activities was used in a summer program designed to develop the vocabulary of gifted students. (RL)

A report by the Educational Resources Information Center at the National Council of Teachers of English; ERIC abstracts of documents pertinent to this topic are included. (RD)

Discusses the dilemmas faced by middle and high school teachers whose students are struggling to read, yet whose training does not prepare them to solve this problem. Describes the Reading Initiative, a program that will support teacher development through study groups to help teachers improve both the teaching and learning of reading through…