An important part of student success in school is the involvement of families. However, the communication between students and families regarding school is often sparse at best and caregivers can feel left out as to what is happening. Friday letters improve communication between students and families and also provide a myriad of instructional…

Tells how to develop ways for students to share writing with others both inside and outside the classroom. Discusses possibilities for publishing within the school and in the community, as well as how to submit entries to writing contests and national publications. Contains tips about submitting manuscripts. (EL)

One of a series prepared by the Hawaii Newspaper Agency, this teaching guide offers ideas on using the daily newspaper to teach vocabulary and writing to students on any level. Suggestions include using a "word of the week" to teach word meanings, uses, and roots as well as how words can be used in a sentence; listing vocabulary words on bulletin…

This book is designed to teach students and professionals how to write features for newspapers. The author defines the basic elements of feature writing and explains the specialized techniques that have evolved through years of trial and error. Samples of newspaper feature articles are included, and realistic reporting situations are presented to…

Describes how writing personal newsletters to parents helps students practice and master language arts skills in a meaningful context. Provides a sample information "web" for one of the newsletters. (MM)

Most students today have been reared on television and have had only slight brushes with the parts of grammar. Nevertheless, a variety of sentence pattern exercises and sentence combining lessons based on the students' own writing can be used to augment, challenge and improve students' writing skills and vocabulary. In the first exercise, students…

Helping first graders develop writing skills is the focus of this paper. The first part of the paper discusses 11 ideas likely to be crucial to any first grade writing program, such as the similarities between learning to talk and writing, and the teacher as the model writer. The second part of the paper outlines creative writing activities…

Argues for using and creating negative examples to teach writing. Includes ideas for the following areas: (1) the worst grammar; (2) terrible leads; (3) the worst possible article; (4) the awful two-page spread; and (5) rules for breaking the rules. (MS)

Sixteen vocabulary and self-expression exercises on the word, sentence, and paragraph levels designed to encourage creativity and free expression in writing in French as a second language are described. (MSE)

Shows how the regular reading and discussion of rich literary passages builds a respect and interest among students for imagery. Describes a series of classroom exercises designed to build imagery writing skills. (TB)

This paper presents evidence to support the claim that the teaching of writing at the university level requires a special approach unique to the field of English as a second language. The thinking process concept of writing instruction is advocated with two additions focusing on classroom activities for treating the language difficulties of…

Group creative writing activities encourage foreign language students to participate on various levels as thinkers, writers, readers, and critics. Students stimulate, correct, and give feedback to each other about writing skills. (CB)

A variety of sensory awareness games and activities are suggested to aid students in the development of writing skills and to stimulate students' interest in writing. (JMF)

A composition teacher incorporated film into her literature classes with the hope of drawing on her students' familiarity with this medium to promote their interest in reading as well as developing their reading and writing skills, but she found several problems in implementing this plan. She found that the simple instructions, "Read the…

The Albion (New York) school district provides this guide to written composition instruction in its kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum because of the importance and necessity of writing, not only as a school activity but also as a lifelong intellectual, self-actualizing, and daily-living activity. Following a brief overview that summarizes…