Considers the question of how best to elicit samples of writing for assessment in an English-for-academic-purposes proficiency test and assure that every test taker has something to write about. Three types of writing tasks are defined and analyzed, and examples are given. (25 references) (GLR)

Thirteen-year-olds' interest in writing is alterable in educational settings; and is significantly associated with the educational productivity factors of subjects' (N=28,405) peer group, gender, and quantity and quality of instruction. Essay writing performance appears to be associated significantly with a student's ability, peer group, and a…

An examination found no significant differences between timed- and untimed-essay test scores of adolescent students of English as a Second Language. Results suggest that there is a need for more expansive research regarding sample size and age, different time limits, students' educational backgrounds, writing skill training, communicative aims,…

Examines the problems of using standardized tests to measure the development of early literacy. Notes that assessment is used to design instruction, and should reflect the skills and knowledge that are developing in young children. Provides examples of informal assessment contexts, such as interactive dialogues, observation, and performance…

Describes the following prerequisites for successfully teaching writing, based on recent research in writing instruction: (1) knowing about writing process theory and practice; (2) adopting a radically revised view of the teacher's role as responder/marker/evaluator; and (3) mastering certain "technical knowledge" about the written…

Examines the way that value mediates the construction of meaning, how the active processes of constructing meaning are molded around value. Explores how a description of the writing process in terms of value might inform classroom practice--how it might affect teacher perceptions of what students are doing in their writing and how teachers comment…

Describes three methods for research on the second-language writing assessment process and the kinds of questions these methods can answer. Methods include direct observation, ethnographic observation, and studies of the relations between ratings and objective measures of various textual characteristics. (JL)

Provides an overview of a study of the relationship between classroom context and the revisions of student writers. Indicates that students focus their revisions on surface and stylistic concerns. Suggests how specific features of the classroom context, including teaching methods, may influence the kinds of revisions undertaken by student writers.…

Discusses the tension between testing and literacy education, the deleterious influences of testing on the curriculum, and the lack of a firm relationship between improved test scores and improved educational experiences for students. Presents two alternative systems for evaluation of writing skills at the local and state level. Demonstrates the…

A computer grammar checker is described that evolved from a sample of errors and resulting in a taxonomy of 14 main and 93 subtypes. Using a 1,402-word stem electronic dictionary, an augmented transition network parser, and a set of disambiguating rules, the checker provides feedback for 7 types of errors. (12 references) (Author/LB)

Reviews research (1) concerning the use of word processors in improving children's writing; (2) students' attitudes toward writing; and (3) how improvements in writing are measured. Notes that current research should not be accepted at face value. Argues that teachers should seek ways in which the availability of word processors can help students…

Argues that, for a successful pedagogy of online portfolios, teachers should set up the computer network before the term begins; guide students to teach themselves how to use the system; explain the portfolio system at the beginning of the term; prompt revision even on "satisfactory" submissions; accept revisions only from…

Examined the generalizability of written-response scores on the English 30 diploma examination administered to Alberta 12th-grade students. Student scores differed as a function of rater, but this variance component was small across two tasks and two administrations; score generalizability was high using a two-rater system; and scale variability…

Compares English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) students in first-year English classes writing in two contexts: in a networked computer class and in a traditional lecture-style class. Shows that the networked setting promoted better writing and more peer and teacher feedback, and that the traditional setting promoted more improvement in writing. (RS)

This study explores whether online peer review can be a worthwhile alternative to face-to-face peer review. It was conducted in two pre-college English-as-a-Second-Language writing classes at a community college to examine students' responses in both modes of peer review, and to see whether online peer review could become a viable option.…