As shown by MetLife's 2010 "Survey of the American Teacher," America's educators strongly believe that all students should graduate from high school ready for college and a career (85 percent). Additionally, according to MetLife's 2009 survey, 86 percent of teachers believe that setting high expectations for students will improve student…

The references in this article provide an overview of recent scholarship on writing instruction in community colleges. Included in this bibliography are citations for both empirical studies of community college writing programs as well as "best practice" articles that describe innovative pedagogical strategies for improving student writing…

An Iowa school district's inservice program introduced nearly 150 teachers to the writing process to help the teachers be more effective as writers and as teachers of writing. Direct measures evaluate both the writing curriculum and students' improvement in writing: writing samples, each student's cumulative writing folder, and a formal…

The purposes of writing in the foreign language classroom are similar to those in other disciplines. The process approach to writing instruction is useful in any language. Selection of writing topics is based on vocabulary and available skills, and careful sequencing and control of range of topics helps develop proficiency. Writing assignments can…

This short 3-page article presents four examples of innovative higher education programs that failed because the ideas were imported from other institutions without understanding the substructures that were needed for success. In the first case study, a Writing Across the Curriculum program was implemented through writing-intensive courses…

The Moss Point, Mississippi, school district uses a semantic mapping teaching approach called "Writing to Learn" that visually and graphically displays ideas and concepts. Students use computers to work on writing projects, and their achievement scores in the state's reading and writing examinations have increased remarkably. Outlines…

Offers suggestions for structuring the writing of paragraphs about data tables and conclusions. States that data tables usually contain: the central or most typical value and the variation or spread within the data. Provides steps for writing a paragraph and an evaluation of effectiveness. (RT)

Designed to provide information to administrators at Housatonic Community College, Connecticut (HCC) on the status of writing-across-the-curriculum (WAC) programs, this report presents an overview of WAC, strategies for its implementation, and examples of WAC programs currently in existence. Introductory sections present a brief history of and a…

Asserts that an Advanced Placement (AP) course in music theory offers student musicians opportunities to gain new insight into melody, harmony, and structure. Describes content and teaching methods used in an AP music theory program. Discusses necessary teacher characteristics and maintains that both students and teachers benefit from the course.…

Contends that many Russian schools have begun to use democratization by including more emphasis on aesthetic values, interdisciplinary instruction, and cooperative learning. Includes descriptions of classroom activities exemplifying Russian efforts at educational democratization. (CFR)

Describes a classroom study of 20 self-selected, college-bound, U.S. history students in which the students created a story, poem, painting, or other art form after studying a unit on immigration. Includes several examples and descriptions of students' poetry, writing, and other creative projects. (CFR)

The Teaching Support Center (TSC) at the University of North Dakota was established in 1992 to provide faculty and graduate assistants with a wide range of pedagogical, professional, and technological assistance in order to improve the quality of instruction. A 3-year plan was developed to implement 13 goals, which are: (1) determining the needs…

Practices for improving adolescent literacy--which includes reading, writing, and speaking--are much discussed and debated among secondary school educators and researchers. At Discovery Middle School in Madison, Alabama, the debate has ended after teachers and administrators implemented several practices that elevated student achievement from…

Describes programs of the Close Up Foundation for young students. Discusses group projects developed for the Civic Achievement Award Program that emphasize community service and cooperative learning. Concludes with a description of plans to develop Close Up programs for the elementary grades. (CFR)

This publication contains descriptions of "outstanding practices" in high schools that had the most success in improving student performance by doing the best job of implementing one particular High Schools That Work key practice. The 33 efforts are organized according to which of these 10 key practices they reflect: high expectations…