Reports on ERIC materials dealing with the improvement of writing instruction. (RL)

Examines materials in the ERIC database on the characteristics of the reluctant writer, the effect of apprehension on writing performance, and teaching strategies to encourage writing proficiency. (HTH)

Reviews materials in the ERIC system that level criticisms at creative writing in the schools and that present suggestions for activities that promote good writing that is also creative. (HTH)

Annotates articles, dissertations, and papers on the subject of research in the teaching of English. Organizes annotations under the categories of writing, language, literature, and teacher education. (MS)

Presents annotations of 17 research reports and journal articles (published between 1984 and 1992) that address nonfiction reading and writing in a classroom context. (RS)

Summarizing the wealth of recent research on sentence combining as an effective method of teaching students to tighten and vary their written sentences, this booklet explains how and why sentence combining works. The first half of the booklet provides background information on sentence combining, exploring the basis for the claim that sentence…

Intended for junior high and high school writing instructors, this booklet provides prewriting activities designed to help students master the thinking strategies essential to effective written communication. The first portion of the booklet discusses theory and research on the role of thinking strategies in writing and gives an overview of the…

Examines some of the variables that have been found to affect topic choice and writing performance in writing assessment. (FL)

Examines ERIC materials on the nature of and supporting the use of invented spelling in elementary school writing. (HTH)

Dialogue journals are recommended in this digest for teachers who want to involve every student in a literacy practice that unites reading and writing and encourages thinking and reflection. The digest first explains that dialogue journals are useful because they use writing as a genuine means of communication between student and teacher. Dialogue…

Discusses how computer technology has brought with it a rethinking about how writing happens. Notes that research indicates that computers have a positive impact on student writing. Lists 15 web sites that may help teachers and students with the task of writing. (SG)

This book describes a procedure for scoring writing samples with holistic methods and for analyzing the results with methods from primary trait scoring, analytical scoring, and discourse scoring. Following an introduction, the four chapters in the book focus on (1) the selection of topics to be used in a writing assessment, (2) the format for…

Describes the writing across the curriculum movement, citing research reports and articles which discuss its advantages and disadvantages. Notes several problems involved in effectively implementing writing across the curriculum. (MM)

After defining whole language as a philosophy of literacy instruction based on the concept that students need to experience language as an integrated whole, this ERIC "FAST Bib" presents an annotated list of 35 ERIC documents and journal articles consisting of critiques of and responses to the whole language approach in the elementary school. The…

Noting that adult literacy involves adults who are readers and who are nonreaders, and that it is necessary to deal not only with problems of adult illiteracy, but also to encourage literate adults to read for work and pleasure, this bibliography presents annotations of 32 conference papers and journal articles published between 1989 and 1992…