This article presents a seven-step informal assessment procedure for evaluating the form and function of paragraph composition, useful with students who have difficulty in written expression. The procedure uses dichotomous scoring to reduce subjectivity, facilitates instructional decision making, awards points for grammatically correct sentences,…

Future scenario writing is presented as a combined writing and problem-solving technique that identifies alternative ways of thinking about situations. Uses of future scenario writing in family problem solving include setting family goals, communicating growth resulting from new experiences, resolving family problems, encouraging family…

Considers how college English instructors view their students. Studies and analyzes references to students appearing in the February issues of the pedagogical journal "College Composition and Communication" for 1990, 1991, and 1992. Calls for increased attention to this subject. (HB)

This article introduces a special section of four papers featuring strategies for improving the story writing skills of elementary and secondary students who have problems with written language. It outlines the elements of story grammar, describes characteristics of students with writing problems, and notes the strategies presented in the four…

Describes the interactive multimedia essay, HyperCard, and MediaText, and the benefits of what they offer for secondary writing classrooms. (MG)

Responds to Thomas Devine's indictment of the process approach to writing instruction, arguing that teaching practices reflecting misapplication of research are often wrongly labeled the process approach and a more precise definition of the process approach should inform debates over its value. Questions Devine's conclusions. (DMM)

Provides an outline for teachers who wish to incorporate a Letter to the Editor project in their classroom assignments. Reprints some actual letters from ninth graders based on this assignment. (MG)

The Future Problem Solving Program involves teams of students from grades 4-12 in creative problem solving. The teams complete practice problems and competitive problems. Winning teams go on to state and international competitions. Other program components include noncompetitive problem solving for primary-level students, community problem…

Presents the results of a survey of 100 English-as-a-Second-Language college students about what kinds of paper corrective marking techniques help them the most to improve their writing, which corrections they read, which corrections they retain best, and their reactions to positive and negative comments on the form and content of their writing.…

Investigated the effects of four writing experiences, grade, and reading level on elementary students' narrative writing. For 14 days, students wrote in response to 4 stimuli. Poststudy writing samples indicated students wrote in response to a common but different writing prompt. There were main effects for grade and reading level. (SM)

Discusses the social interaction between writers using electronic mail systems. Shares two stories concerning this written form of conversation. (MG)

Describes the Teachers and Writers Collaborative at P.S 49 and the principal who keeps the writing program going. Discusses how the collaboration works and the teaching techniques used by the writing teachers in the school. (MG)

Outlines a cross-disciplinary project begun by three professors in different fields that attempted to analyze and critique collaborative pedagogies and teaching experiences as used in classrooms. Considers the plausibility of critically exploring ethical issues in collaborative settings. Provides numerous classroom transcripts. (HB)

Asks how religious faith and spirituality function in the creative lives of people as makers and searchers. Describes a week-long summer workshop called "Women's Space: Exploring Our Creative and Spiritual Selves." Considers the historical achievements of women as writers and thinkers, and the recent recovery of such work. (HB)

Authoring provides a powerful model for promoting and studying teacher thinking. The paper explores the development of one teacher's thinking in terms of voices expressing an expanding community of selves, noting narrative and voice and thought construction processes. Narrative self-inquiry helps teachers construct a new community of selves. (SM)