This paper presents a systematic literature review of studies about writing in elementary schools. A systematic search of databases was conducted to select studies. The aim was to identify and categorize difficulties and suggestions. A total of 52 articles published in peer-reviewed journals over the past 21 years were reviewed and analyzed using…

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…

Supports a reader oriented theory of paragraph writing. Discusses the readers' expectations of paragraphs and supporting research, demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of the most popular current model of paragraph structure, demonstrates the power of rhetorical paragraph writing, and details the pedagogical implications of the…

Reviews research on effective strategies for teaching reading comprehension; written composition of narrative and expository text; and strategies for integrating reading and writing. Provides a set of teaching guidelines after each research review. Argues for teaching reading and writing as connected processes that have similar structures. (RS)

Focusing on the sociolinguistic dimensions of literacy, this sourcebook builds upon Mina Shaughnessy's contributions to the study of basic writing by gathering together contemporary research, theory, and practice on the subject. The 39 essays and their authors include: "Defining Basic Writing in Context" and "Perspectives on…

In response to teachers' requests for specific information about implementing the curriculum in the Expository Writing Program (EWP), this manual presents the instructional methods and materials used during the Teaching Expository Reading and Writing Project. First, the lines of research that formed the basis for the instructional program are…

Analyzes the effect of written assignments on improvement of reading. Describes a study conducted with 40 first-quarter college freshmen in a developmental reading program in which one group had written assignments and the other had none. Concludes that writing has a positive influence on reading. (JG)

There have been minimal investigations into the related processes of learning to read and to write and there is a real need for research to study reading and writing together in the beginning stages of literacy instruction. To determine an instructional approach for this integration, the effect on language arts achievement of dialogue journal…

Suggests using writing to enhance students' learning of content material because a positive environment that encourages writing allows students to explore, analyze, and synthesize what they are learning in a content classroom. Enumerates principles for facilitating comprehension and recommends using a guided writing procedure. (SKC)

A teacher education course on reading in the content areas had two goals: (1) to embody, rather than talk about, the reading-writing connection; and (2) to effect through a workshop setting a community of learners among the participants. Students were required to select, adapt, and apply instructional strategies from a variety of textbooks and…

Explores the connection between reading and writing implicit in children's creative writing and highlights the similarity between processes of reading and writing. (JC)

A study compared the effects of two writing tasks (short answer exercises and analytic essay writing) with no writing on high school students' understanding of concepts from prose passages. Baseline data on typical patterns of instruction and students' approaches to writing were obtained using observation and case studies in two history classes,…

The purpose of this book is to provide teachers of literature with a sampling of a wide range of theoretical backgrounds and possible pedagogical applications for reading, writing, and interpreting literature in school classrooms, elementary through college. The book contains the following essays listed with their authors: (1) "Henny Penny to…

Presents five strategies for helping elementary school students learn to write fiction: (1) stress topic selection; (2) use literature to teach fiction writing; (3) stress main character change or problem solving; (4) emphasize reality-based stories; and (5) encourage students to research their fiction. (SKC)

Describes a project in which underprepared college freshmen in a basic skills English class heard materials read aloud while they followed along in the text. Concludes that the students made gains in writing skills but not in reading. (FL)