Examines student responses to their teachers' written comments on their papers. Finds that students are equally interested in getting responses on content, purpose and organization as on sentence structure, wording and correctness; and students prefer specific comments with explanations over negative comments or comments that seek to control their…

Shows how assessment models fail to evaluate adequately the performances of socially, ethnically, and culturally diverse students. Maintains that assessment criteria are unable to acknowledge the blurring of genres, controversies over the role of personal voice, and the privileging of linear forms of organization. Focuses on one African American…

This study focuses on how Chinese writing instruction can cause negative interference for Chinese English-as-a-Second-Language students writing in English. The study shows that in Chinese writing, the main idea can be more general, as a theme, or specific, as a thesis statement. It can also come at the beginning or end of a paper, and the writer…

Investigates whether systematic links exist between young school-aged children's awareness of others' communicative intentions and early descriptive-expository and narrative writing proficiency. Young children were shown a directive speech act in a puppet-played scenario, and an interview determined the types of communicative intention attributed…

Investigates the working memory (WM) processing and storage functions; whether WM in writing follows the same process as in reading; and the influence of WM on creative writing. Focuses on high school students (n=47). Finds relationships between WM measures and reading and writing in English as a Second Language. Includes references. (CMK)

Assessing academic abilities in the Indian educational context is closely linked with proficiency in writing. This article discusses ways to help learners produce self-contained compositions in English. This involves teaching them to link and develop information, ideas, or arguments in logical sequences. (Author/VWL)

Investigated whether content knowledge from reading would affect the processes and the products of adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students' writing and reading performance on a simulated English language test that made use of reading and writing modules. Revealed that the thematic connection between reading and writing enhanced both the…

This study reports results of student graphing of writing after brief free writing periods in the 4th grade. An examination of writing samples over time from students with the highest and lowest writing rates showed improved writing quality in terms of more concrete details and more sophisticated organization. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Explains how professors can either "mark the screen" or use separate attachments in the grading process for on-line assignments. Discusses e-mail as the analogue of face-to-face conferencing for providing feedback. (EV)

Presents a project where fourth-grade students depicted images on coins to reflect important conflicts in Canadian history, such as September 11, 2001. Explains how to create the coins in detail. States that the students each wrote a "proclamation" that described their time period depicted on the coins. (CMK)

Tells the story of how a college student who failed the Hong Kong Advanced Supplementary (AS) Level Use of English (UE) examination was determined to pass it the following year in order to go from a higher diploma program to a degree program that interested him. Discusses the process through which he refound his direction in learning English after…

Compares writing samples by K-2 students and highlights the importance of developing better strategies for helping English-as-a-Second-or Other-Language (ESOL) teachers meet the instructional needs of young English language learners. (Author/VWL)

Includes a lesson plan that educates students about the rights of youth, which is the theme of this issue of "Insights on Law and Society." Explains that the students must read the article, "The Bill of Rights and the School Curriculum," included in this issue. Includes a handout. (CMK)

Presents a project where fourth- and fifth-grade students created Chinese shadow puppets, designed scenery for puppet theater, built the theater, wrote plays, and put on performances in a Chinese theater festival. Lists a collection of resources. (CMK)

Investigates the possible effects of stimulated recall when used as a tool for reflection on text progression in first language and English-as-a-Foreign-Language writing. Particular focus is on revisions induced by the stimulated recall session and whether they are affected by writing language or genre. (Author/VWL)