Examines the experiences and rhetorical actions of key medical scientists and physicians who have treated, studied, and written about AIDS since the epidemic's beginning. Explains that those first to describe the disease report the rhetorical challenge was convincing their audience to accept the novel idea of AIDS and to see the cases as an…

Contains annotated bibliographic entries for 93 dissertations, books, and articles published, for the most part, between January and June, 1995. Divides entries under the following headings: Historical Studies; Language (English as a Second Language, Family Literacy, Language and Learning, Language Interrelationships); Literature (Censorship,…

Comparison of 20 essays written by English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) beginners with prose of skilled writers suggests four constraints on information packaging are needed to facilitate identification of macrostructure. Results suggests that fragmentation in beginners' prose may be overcome if learners are made aware of the notion of…

Provides four rules on grading for new teaching assistants: (1) set clear standards, and make them known; (2) apply the same standards to everyone; (3) stand firm when you are right, admit when you are wrong; and (4) take your students seriously. (CMK)

Discusses a process of acculturation in three stages by which fledgling Writing Program Administrators can be transformed into change agents: (1) critically reading the program to locate key allies, potential advocates, and proven adversaries; (2) implementing changes on an infrastructural level to convert positive relations among colleagues into…

Highlights ways parents can support the development of writing at home through engaging activities. Offers suggestions including: (1) writing as an extension of imagination; (2) pictures and words; (3) expanding drawing; (4) entering the social world; and (5) everyday activities as sources of ideas. Asserts that forming a literacy club will help…

Describes a lesson that focuses on the strike organized by the African-American washerwomen in Atlanta (Georgia) in order to protect their autonomy and increase their pay. Explains that the laundry workers' protest contrasted the image of complacent Southern workers depicted by the city's business and political elite. (CMK)

Offers an overview of changing attitudes towards the place of mechanics in writing instruction, as documented in "College Composition and Communication" over the 50 years of the journal's existence. Argues that the role of formal correctness within each instructor's teaching depends on the purposes, goals, and contexts of each writing…

Describes the course "Introduction to Culture" that is a part of the Ursuline Studies Program at Ursuline College. Explains that the course is derived from the ideas of urban philosopher, Lewis Mumford, and discusses his ideas in detail. Reviews the academic goals of the course and the examines the broader Ursuline Studies Program. (CMK)

Examines interaction and feedback in mixed peer response groups by inspecting participants' turn-taking behaviors, language functions performed during peer response, and written feedback on each other's writing. Data were collected from three mixed peer response groups, each with a nonnative speaker and two or three native speakers. (Author/VWL)

Provides results from surveys with secondary school teachers conducted in 1982 and 1998 at the same Local Education Authority. Reports on the teachers' attitudes to poetry, specifically the reading, writing, and discussion of poetry. States that the second survey follows considerable change in the teaching of English and poetry. (CMK)

Discusses action research case studies of representative children and changes to classroom teaching. Notes that children were given the opportunity to: write about things that mattered to them; write as experts; hear their writing read aloud; and experience genuine response to this writing. Finds boys made most progress when given the opportunity…

Describes theoretical and practical considerations related to the provision of feedback in the written compositions of advanced foreign language learners of French. Discusses the approach taken to teaching and assessing writing skills of students and considers how using a computer-based composition annotation program can contribute to reduction of…

This article discusses several ways that Web sites and e-mail motivate students to write. When students know someone other than their teacher will see their writing, it becomes easy to help them with process and mechanics. They take pride in their work, and they make it look good. The author found that students were more receptive to a revision…

Background: This longitudinal study sought to improve understanding of the factors at home and school that influence children's attainment and progress in writing between the ages of 4 and 7 years. Aims: (i) To investigate the relationship between home variables and writing development in preschool children; (ii) to determine associations between…