An adaptation of the traditional literary concept of close reading was developed for use in a largely multilingual classroom in which both first language (L1) and second language (L2) students were struggling to comprehend theoretical, lexically dense texts in English. This simplified method of reading a text iteratively and critically is proving…

Discusses the functions of the writing laboratory at Innis College, Toronto, Canada. (SW)

The feasibility of offering, on a voluntary, no credit basis, a programmed audio-tutorial instruction approach to the listening skills was investigated; and the extent to which these materials meet the listening needs of students was studied. Two groups of 22 and 20 students at a state university were chosen randomly from volunteers. The…

Criticizes a thematic approach to English instruction advocated by J. R. Osgerby Yin English in a College of Education: A New Approach," The Use of English," vol. 21, no. 4 (Summer 1970), pp. 306-16, 321I on the basis that such an approach leads students away from an experience of the literature itself and into the realms of sociology…

Describes a British college of education's thematic approach to English based on a tutorial unit containing 6-8 students. (DD)

Gives some specific examples of previewing techniques for two types of modern literature (poetry and novels) that tutors can use to prepare adult students for the general style, concepts, and vocabulary of different writers, and to help students relate existing background knowledge to new information. (MG)

No significant differences in attrition rates were found between groups of students enrolled in conventional and individualized remedial freshman English courses. (JH)

This study describes in detail the synthesis of two relatively new, widely accepted and critically approved teaching methods, writing workshops and peer tutoring programs, in a coordinated program designed to improve student writing skills and attitudes. After tracing the origin of this experiment to specific concerns about the use of standard…

Open admissions as an educational policy in higher education depends upon the success of remediation programs in English and especially in composition courses. Because so many English majors will spend part of all of their professional lives teaching, their training at both the undergraduate and graduate levels should prepare them for teaching,…

The first section of this paper notes the tremendous number of approaches to teaching writing, the agreement among experts that writing involves developmental stages specific to each student, and the need for writing programs that challenge individuals at their various levels of development. The paper then describes a newly revised writing course…

This study attempted to determine whether tutoring could produce positive changes in certain language skills that would be reflected in English marks and standardized test results. Ninth grade boys and girls (120) were selected and arranged into paired experimental and control students. Both experimental and control pairs used prepared materials…

THE RESULTS OF AN EXPERIMENT CONDUCTED AT THE CENTRAL MISSOURI STATE COLLEGE INDICATE THAT IN COMPARISON TO THE CLASSROOM LECTURE APPROACH TO COMPOSITION, THE LECTURE-TUTORIAL METHOD SAVES TIME AND RESULTS IN A SHARPER FOCUS OF SUBJECT MATTER AND A MORE INTENSE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PUPIL AND TEACHER. A CLASS OF 25 STUDENTS WAS GIVEN ONE HOUR PER…

The focus of this journal edition is remedial writing instruction in high school and college. Articles in the journal are: "The Remedial Student is Different," by Karl K. Taylor; "Writing Apprehension: (I) Combating Fear of Failure," by Donna K. Gorrell; "Writing Apprehension: (II) Where Does Fear of Writing Come…

This issue of the "VCCA Journal" contains the following articles: (1) "Dear Andrei--Dear Patricia: International Education in English Composition I," by Robert Kilmer; (2) "The Cultivation of Critical Thinking: Some Tools and Techniques," by Russell Crescimanno; (3) "Assessment Partnership: A Model for Two-Year…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 15 titles deal with the following topics: methods for teaching students of English as a second language and remedial students in freshmen composition courses; Maryland community college English teachers' backgrounds and attitudes…