The narrow teaching of writing that had been common in schools for hundreds of years was challenged in the 1980s by 'one of the most seductive writers in the history of writing pedagogy'. Donald Graves's process approach to writing, as it came to be known, was popular in Australia, New Zealand, USA and the UK. At the heart of Graves's approach was…

For research into language development in L2 writing to have any relevance, it has to be situated within a framework of decisions in writing pedagogy. Furthermore, a perspective on L2 language development cannot be limited only to accuracy levels. Even if this is the case, it is counter-intuitive that further input may be detrimental to language…

Trickster tales, with their teachings on how to behave in the world, are a powerful means for transmitting social knowledge and cultural mores to children. In this study we compared two approaches to teaching fourth-grade students to write trickster tales. Although both instructional methods incorporated aspects of the writing process approach,…

Examines the work of Linda Flower to explore "control" in writing, approaching her texts from a deconstructive (Derridean) perspective. Concludes that: the paradoxical nature of control has consequences for understanding cognition; and an acknowledgement of these consequences requires a reconsideration of "control" as the…

Examines the work of Janet Emig, particularly "The Composing Processes of Twelfth Graders," as a means of gaining historical insight into the process movement in writing today. (TB)

Summarizes six significant findings of research on writing that business communication teachers may find of special interest. Lists seven implications of the research for business communication instruction. (RS)

A new theoretical paradigm for teaching writing and organizing composition research was at hand by 1982, focusing on how writers write and the practice of interventionist teaching. Today, the process theory of teaching composition dominates the field, yet it has not shifted teaching practices or research questions toward the settings and…

Investigates whether students are using a process approach to writing by examining pictures drawn by first year college students illustrating their procedures for writing a paper for school. Discusses various aspects revealed in the drawings. Finds that a process approach is scarcely apparent. (SR)

Describes aspects of Linda Flower's work used by the author in devising writing technical assistance for teams writing technical reports in the United States General Accounting Office. Discusses three brief case studies describing the relationship between the work program structure (a major barrier to audience-based writing) and the writing…

Adds the student's theory of the writing process to three competing theories: expressive, cognitive, and social. Attempts to put writing in its proper place as one small facet of students' lives, rather than relegating students' lives to the secondary status of one more influence on their writing. (RS)

To link writing assessment more closely to writing pedagogy, a project added a process instrument--a self-evaluation or "postwrite"--to a formal holistic writing assessment. Subjects were 348 freshman composition students at Goucher College. The postwrite asked students, after they had finished writing an essay, to answer four questions…

Provides a review of some of the main issues covered in research on writing, and indicates where this research may be found. Discusses the nature of writing, learning to write, computers and writing, and evaluating written products. (PRA)

A study examined whether students actually used the composition processes they learned in their first-year college writing classroom when they leave the classroom. Subjects were 200 Florida State University students--a mixture of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors from a variety of majors during fall semester 1997. Subjects were asked to…

Evaluative criteria implicit in written comments on student writing can embody a definition of text which leads students to see text as superficial and formal instead of deep and meaningful. Students develop their perceptions of professors' values from the cues they receive via comments. A major problem, especially among faculty from different…

Investigates to what extent children were given opportunities to engage in process writing. Finds a textbook orientation to language instruction, small amounts of time spent in prewriting or writing activities, and a preference for teacher-controlled writing processes. (SR)