The research project described in this paper examined the development of analytic writing abilities in late high school and college level students. Following a brief discussion of the project, in which 135 students at different educational levels wrote position papers on an assigned topic, and 35 participated in protocol analysis, the paper offers…

A review of the literature reveals some of the issues English teachers face when dealing with nontraditional students. An overview of the needs and instructional preferences of such students grew out of a larger project being conducted on the subject at Seattle University, which showed that adults seem to prefer (1) a problem solving focus, (2)…

The effect of microcomputer word processing on college students' writing was investigated with three sections of a required freshman English course at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Half of the subjects were randomly selected to use the university microcomputer in a laboratory setting to write eight essays, while the other half worked in…

The question of what to do "after the workshop" has been treated only in passing by writing across the curriculum experts. When planning the writing across the curriculum program at La Salle University (Philadelphia), the writing faculty decided to make continued "after the workshop" interaction with the writing specialist an integral part of the…

The Success in Reading and Writing Program (Success) developed by Anne Adams incorporates ideas from many approaches to reading instruction. It uses newspapers, magazines, library books, content area textbooks, catalogs, and other reading materials; it requires an instructional period that is divided into four or five units of one-half hour each;…

The interaction between student writers and word processors was the subject of a case study that assessed (1) how advanced high school students respond to learning word processing, (2) what immediate impact the machine has on the writing processes and strategies of students, and (3) whether the machine alters students' attitudes toward writing…

Based on the authors' classroom work and observations since the 1930s, this book is intended to help teach children to write correctly and, at the same time, help them learn to enjoy writing so much that they will want to continue writing throughout their lives. The book offers classroom teachers, school library media specialists, curriculum…

Intended for junior high and high school English teachers, the articles and features in this journal focus on adolescent literature and the young adult audience. Articles in the journal discuss (1) politics as an emerging topic in young adult novels, (2) teacher attitudes and practices relevant to the use of the young adult novel in secondary…

One of the best teaching methods adaptable to the computer is the writing conference. The student and teacher meet at the computer and work with the piece directly on the screen. Holding writing conferences at the computer allows the teacher to get closer to the student's writing processes and to determine the stage or stages with which the…

In this K-8 writing skills curriculum, developed in Skokie (Illinois), the objectives are presented in a "mastery" format so that student achievement can be assessed. The document begins with a statement of philosophy, and guidelines for teachers to use in implementing the program, and then describes the curriculum format, which focuses on the…

After considering various estimates of the extent to which there is a "literacy problem" in the United States, this paper develops an econometric model of the literacy program. Defining the volume of literacy as the total amount of information that people exchange through the materials they want or need to use, the volume of literacy is seen to be…

Research has confirmed that what parents view as being important for their children to learn and how they believe their children are able to learn are reflected in both the learning opportunities parents provide in the home and the teaching strategies they use with their children. Tape recordings of children and their parents during planned…

Applicable to kindergarten through grade 12, the individualized Language Arts composition program is based upon actual student experiences. Once student writing samples have been plotted on a diagnostic grid, the program's manual provides teachers with specific methods for meeting students' needs. Uniting cognitive, affective, and creative…

This report describes the beginning of a school district's involvement in the use of microcomputers in the classroom, and one teacher's experiences with microcomputers in a junior high school setting. Background information is given on how the district financed its initial computer investment, approaches the district used to encourage teacher…

The language experience approach (LEA) is a means of using the knowledge of language and one's life experiences to create materials for reading and thoughtful consideration. Therefore, LEA seems to be a viable approach to use both with students who are not familiar with the language used or experiences described in a textbook and with older…