Discusses a collaborative writing assignment on the Annunciation and the difficulties posed by summoning personal experiences to help in writing about an unfamiliar situation. The resulting poem is included. (HTH)

Discusses the use of collaborative writing for children who are resistant to schooling--who are delayed developmentally for social, psychological, or biological reasons. Provides examples of collective writing centered around a novel created by a junior high school remedial class. (SKC)

Studies the effectiveness of teaching middle school students to give focused and specific responses to their peers during collaborative writing response groups using the organizational technique called "Praise-Question-Polish" (PQP). Finds that the number of specific comments rose significantly while the number of vague comments dropped…

Describes how one English teacher engaged in a collaborative writing exercise with a fifth-grade female student. Explains how the teacher worked to become an equal partner with the student in the collaborative effort. Provides specific information about how the student's writing improved. (HB)

Plain talk is the cornerstone for creating a classroom atmosphere in which students want to learn to improve their writing. As much as possible, the jargon and technical terminology of the profession of English should be eliminated. Teachers will know what level of language to use if they determine the nature of their audience. Teachers have to…

Noting that, in general, collaborative peer writing groups benefit students but that teacher and student preparation would improve the efficacy of collaborative writing method, this bibliography provides detailed information on sources useful for introducing writing students to the vocabulary and terminology of the composition community. Materials…

Explains how student "companies" can be made more effective by giving them more responsibility for the way the group is run. Claims student companies will be more cohesive, and will provide students with more writing that combines the personal and professional. (MS)

Analyzes a collaborative activity, both as a traditional classroom event and as a collaborative event. Finds that, even when the activity is explicitly collaborative and students are experienced collaborators, patterns of traditional classroom discourse dominate their communicative choices. (MG)

Presents a grade one and two activity that teaches students the strategy of reading like a writer. Demonstrates the method using Dayal Kaur Khalsa's "I Want A Dog." (MM)

Collaborative learning in the English classroom actively involves students in learning many useful applications of writing skills for use in future careers. In the work place, for instance, collaboration takes place regularly and group skills are of major importance. Job-related writing involves many forms of collaboration from the start of a…

In writing instruction, emphasis should be placed on developing a sense of a community, focusing on the social or collaborative view of writing. This view contends that writing is taught best as collaborative learning, with the classroom providing a social context in which students come together to develop their writing skills. In the…

A case study about collaborative learning and collaborative writing examined what was taking place in classroom writing response groups. The study revealed how problematic college writing groups can be good for students. On the basis of observation and interviews with participants in three groups composed of undergraduates at a large state…

Describes how a shared poetry exercise, combining whole language experiences with process writing techniques, motivates remedial readers. Notes that this technique helps remedial readers achieve success in writing, build sight and meaning vocabularies, and improve reading fluency. (MM)

Describes the methods and means by which composition teachers can successfully create, train, and maintain writing groups (peer response groups, writing circles, or writing workshops) within the English classroom. (HB)

This case study describes use of apprenticeship opportunities in a collaborative writing context with two primary grade students with multiple disabilities in an inclusive setting. Analysis of written work and verbal interactions revealed the collaborative peer approach fostered active and constructive participation by both students. (Contains…