A writing center serves freshmen and sophomores at Casper Community College in Casper, Wyoming and upper level classes at University of Wyoming/Casper College. The arrangement raises questions about the effectiveness of peer tutoring. Tutors were labeled "writing assistants" and those who came to the center for help were called…

Describes the development and use of a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) laboratory in the English-language teaching unit at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Undergraduate students in a writing skills course were trained to use word processors which were available for the students' writing assignments. (LMO)

Examines various definitions and pedagogies of critical thinking. Discusses the writing center's role in teaching critical thinking. (MM)

Presents four ideas for writing lab strategies and activities. Discusses creating prewriting collaborative research teams, learning new software, peer review, and supporting evidence. (SR)

Describes the writing lab of the Glenbrook, Illinois, School District. Discusses the transition time between the old and new teaching systems, and offers ways to optimize this time. (PRA)

Notes that writing center teachers' responses to students depend on what the writers want to say (content), how the writers approached the writing (process), and the conventions needed to prepare the final manuscript (skills). Discusses effective ways to conduct these three types of conferences for each stage of the writing process. (HTH)

In order for students to be helped effectively to complete their writings successfully, writing centers in schools need to become more adept at "context based response." That is, writing centers need to focus not just on clarity and correctness of writing but also on the content of the assignment that students are working on. This type…

Discusses how English teachers can work with other departments to promote interdisciplinary approaches to teaching. Describes sharing writing labs; producing television news reports; engaging in a school-wide theme week; an "academic" Olympic Games; vocabulary exercises in the social studies classes; mock trials; and a team-taught social…

Examines the differences between peer response groups and writing tutorials. Gives a brief history of each, and discusses them in terms of determining goals, setting the agenda for collaboration, and methods. Offers some cautionary reminders. (SR)

Drawing upon information gathered in a survey of eight two-year colleges and one four-year college, this paper discusses the status of writing within the two-year college system. Following introductory remarks, the paper gives a brief profile of one two-year college, Casper College in Wyoming, including data about its background, curriculum,…

Acknowledges the value in a reciprocal interaction of work and play in the writing center. Discusses some pedagogic and academic attitudes associated with play and observes the historical development of the writing center as a place for spontaneity and playfulness within the university. (HTH)

Argues that if writing centers are to remain homes of flexible, student-centered instruction, tutors have to be able to deviate from their usual patterns of instruction under special circumstances. Suggests a multi-variate approach to identify and gain perspective on the rigid approaches student respondents and tutors assume during the writing…

Explains that the writing center is a computerized tutoring room where high school students can get individualized help with their writing. Describes some of the activities and problems of one such center. Suggests that the center can help students learn to be good writers and become more familiar with computer technology. (SG)

Concern that computers in the classroom might alienate learners and depersonalize learning raises questions about the impact of computers on writing instruction. A study examined relationships in one school's computer writing lab among instructor, student tutors, and students through what was called the "computer lab matrix of…

Outlines a basic writing skills course organized around the process of transcribing reading and lecture notes from students' other classes. (HTH)