This curriculum and set of support materials are intended to help special educators and others incorporate assistive writing technologies into the writing curriculum and teach the student with a disability how to use the technology. Materials are included to be placed at each computer, which cover the operating basics for both Macintosh and…

Grade-5 teachers, who were nominated by their supervisors as effective in educating their students to be readers and writers, responded to questionnaires about their practice. The 33 teachers claimed commitments to: (1) extensive reading at the heart of their reading instruction; (2) diverse instructional activities (e.g., whole-group instruction,…

In Portland State University's Freshman Inquiry program, 5 teachers, each from different disciplines, meet weekly to design the syllabus and the assignments used by all of the sections which are designed around the theme of "The City: Visions and Realities." A participant observer takes field notes and studies these for ways to extract…

As part of a sabbatical leave for professional development, a faculty member from Missouri's St. Louis Community College (SLCC) undertook a survey to determine principles and instructional practices in community college writing programs. A literature review was conducted of theories related to writing instruction. In addition, questionnaires were…

This book offers teachers a convenient means of broadening their understanding of various kinds of composition theory and the steadily emerging field of teacher research by high school and college instructors. The book is designed to arouse individual teachers' interest in composition theory and encourage them to learn about and participate in…

This report describes the procedures used by a New Jersey high school English department of 15 teachers to improve the critical thinking skills of their students and thus allow the students to assume greater autonomy in their learning. Emphasis was placed on improving critical thinking skills of the students through literature and writing…

The usefulness of achievement goal theory in explaining motivation in writing classrooms was studied with 14 students interviewed in fifth, sixth, and tenth grades. In the tenth-grade interview, students were asked about their writing experiences and processes. Interview statements were analyzed by three judges regarding mastery and performance…

Two factors contributing to the change in writing instruction have been (1) the research investigating the way writing is taught and (2) the computer. Proponents of the various writing models endorse writing as an ongoing, multi-stage process, with equal emphasis given to each of the stages. Educational computing has undergone a change of focus…

This compilation presents materials associated with the 5-week summer session of the Samford University Writing Project, 1991. The compilation begins with curriculum vitae of staff, teacher consultants, and guest speakers. The compilation also presents lists of group and committee members and daily logs written in by participants in a wide variety…

Combining developmentally appropriate early childhood practice with current views of emergent literacy and whole language instruction, this book is designed to help pre-service and in-service teachers incorporate new views of literacy into their classrooms. The book includes extensive examples from actual classrooms to assist readers in…

Integrating language arts instruction with children's literature and content learning, this book helps teachers to teach children to use language effectively by connecting the teaching of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The book blends content coverage with a balanced view of theory and practice. The book also provides examples of…

A study investigated the ways in which the background of six Spanish-English bilinguals has affected their attitudes toward the two languages and the transfer of skills between first and second languages, especially as it might relate to writing instruction. A review of literature looks at studies of linguistic and social aspects of the Hispanic…

Focusing on the middle grades (4-8), this book promotes an integrative and thematic approach to curriculum development. The book provides mini-lessons organized around three interactive constructs: the purpose for communicating, the audience, and the organization of the content to be communicated. Separate chapters in the book on each of five…

This study examines the systemic reform process that was initiated in Maryland in 1991. The Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) consists of learning outcomes, a framework for performance assessment, guidelines for school decision making, and suggestions for staff development. One year following the initiation of the MSPAP, a…

For use mainly in the English classroom, the 21 lesson plans in this book emphasize the ROAM method, which integrates Repeating, Observing, Associating, and Memorizing as a means to appreciate the communicative arts. The book explains and shows how students can improve and then master communication skills using a four-step process: (1) COLLECT,…