The authors describe a strategy that empowers students to edit and revise their own writing. Students input their writing in to text-to-speech software that rereads the text aloud. While listening, students make necessary revisions and edits.

This article reports the results of a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach to explore the impact of online peer-editing using Google Docs and peer-editing in a face-to-face classroom on EFL learners' academic writing skills. As the study adopted a quasi-experimental design, two intact classes, each with ten EFL learners, attending an…

This article reports the results of interview research examining writing instruction and assessment practices in 216 Grades 4-8 classrooms across the 10 Canadian provinces and 2 (of 3) territories. Researchers found that participating teachers scheduled daily time for writing, either in language arts classes or through integrating writing…

English 1311: Expository English Composition is the first semester course in a two-semester first-year composition (FYC) sequence. Both ENG 1311 and its second-semester counterpart, ENG 1312, are required for all students unless they have transfer credit covering this requirement or place out of one or both of the courses via the College-Level…

As proposed by social constructive theorists, meaningful learning and individual development were achieved through social interaction. To foster social interaction among students, this study formed an online learning community in which they played multiple roles as writers, editors and commentators. In playing different roles, they read peers'…

As online research has become an increasingly standard activity for middle school and high school students, Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org) has simultaneously emerged as the bane of many teachers who include research-focused assignments in their courses. An online encyclopedia that allows anyone to edit its entries, Wikipedia has educators…

Argues that evaluating electronic versions of students' writing saves time and makes grading easier. Explains how the author uses custom-designed macros to provide comments and guidance to students with more elaboration than is possible by writing comments on the margins of the papers. (PA)

A study investigated the usefulness of an online writing lab, Smarthinking, in a college writing tutorial program. The study investigated 4 issues: what Smarthinking is and how it works; what students think of the program; what instructors think of the program; and whether Smarthinking is cohesive with writing center principles and procedures. A…

By using microcomputers, functional learning environments can be created in which reading and writing are arranged for communicative purposes and used as electronic workbooks for basic skills instruction. However, the "Computer Chronicles Newswire Network" goes a step further by giving students a goal for writing: to share their ideas…

This final report discusses the outcomes of a 3-year project that studied the effectiveness of word processing tools in improving the literacy skills of students with learning disabilities in grades 4-12. In Year 1 (1994-95), four text entry strategies were compared in 132 students with learning disabilities: keyboarding instruction, alternative…

A demonstration project explored the use of speech synthesis and speech recognition in writing-based classes held by two Philadelphia literacy providers. The project examined the use of high quality speech synthesis (the computer reads words from the screen in an understandable voice) and speech recognition (the computer responds to verbal…

Examines a sample of conventionally composed and word-processing-assisted essays to assess the computer's effect on progress and competence by determining how students used the computer resources available to them to write their papers in both standard English classes and across the curriculum. (MS)

Produced by a demonstration project that explored the use of speech synthesis and speech recognition in writing-based classes held by two Philadelphia literacy providers, this manual was developed for teachers who may wish to integrate speech synthesis into their curriculum. It contains a description of the technologies and activities that may be…

This paper presents information about World Wide Web resources for English language teachers and students and for communication scholars and researchers. The first Web page, "Reference Materials for Students and Researchers," offers links to resources in English. Because there are many Web sites related to dictionaries, a second page,…

This sixteenth volume of "Notes Plus: A Quarterly of Practical Teaching Ideas" contains numerous teaching ideas from English classrooms. Articles in number 1 are: "'Cricket' Contests as Class Exercises" (Rosemary Laughlin); "Body Biography Revisited" (Julie Medow); "Helping Students Keep in Touch" (Joyce Taaffe); "A Love Affair with Letter…