Discussion of the use of electronic conferencing to form a discourse community focuses on a case study of student consultants working in a microcomputer lab supporting writing courses at Michigan Technological University. The formulation of a group identity, as well as group values, goals, and expectations are discussed. (16 references) (LRW)

Reports the results of a study that used a questionnaire to determine science teachers' attitudes about the differences between the written work of female and male students, whether these differences could be generalized, and the specific features that science teachers associated with the written work of females and males. (KO)

Two college-able learning-disabled writers' social and cognitive profiles and the sense of audience in their written texts are examined. The students' deficits (visual and organizational cognitive processing, and oral language comprehension/production) affected their writing, and the quality of their audience awareness was related to the nature of…

Illustrates the way that writing imaginary interviews with dead people can enhance students' grasp of history. Recounts author's personal experience with a college history assignment in which he interviewed the Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Includes a copy of the interview. Describes the assignment as a combination of primary source…

An advanced college-level composition course highlighting differences in writing intended for different cultural groups was designed to teach American students how to communicate thoughts and feelings effectively to various international audiences. (MSE)

Discusses problems with composition writing that beginning or learning disabled students may have and highlights the use of computer programs to encourage both elementary and secondary school students. Topics discussed include group lessons, sign makers such as "Print Shop," and menu driven graphics and text integration programs. (12 references)…

Discussion of the use of computers in elementary schools highlights a study of four districts in Canada. Topics discussed include the use of word processing; the use of LOGO for tutoring purposes; the role of the teacher; and guidelines for integrating computer-assisted learning (CAL) into the elementary school curriculum. (16 references) (LRW)

A bilingual instructional program was developed to teach written English to elementary-aged deaf students who are fluent in American Sign Language. The student-directed language learning uses interactive video and offers five activity options: watch a story, read a story, answer questions about a story, write a story, or caption a story.…

Advantages and disadvantages of word processing as a tool for teaching written self-expression to students with learning disabilities are discussed, research on its effectiveness is examined, available word-processing programs are reviewed, and guidelines for software selection are provided. (Author/MSE)

Assessment of the English writing proficiency of 23 native French speaking students on 3 composition tasks found variance in the qualities of written texts and problem-solving behaviors. Writing expertise was found to affect discourse organization and content, writing complexity, heuristic strategies, and control strategies, while second-language…

The results of a research project designed to study possible uses of the computer in the language arts classroom, and to identify the effect on children's cognitive and linguistic development are presented. Subjects were 22 second graders who used two different software programs (Storia Chiusa and Storia Aperta) to complete stories. (CFM)

Examined English compositions written from plans in English and Turkish by Turkish university students from two different proficiency levels. The study investigated whether there were differences between plans written in Turkish and English and the resulting compositions that correlate with the topic and proficiency level, and whether there were…

Describes how to become a better writing teacher, discussing strategies for students who do not finish their work, how to help children from other cultures write in their first language and in English, and how to help children with good ideas but poor writing and spelling skills. A game to help children understand conventions is included. (SM)

Describes developments in the production and use of literary texts in electronic formats. Highlights include electronic approaches to literature, including characteristics of electronic writing and literary scholarship; relevant technologies; authoring programs; Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML); sources of texts; and the production of…

At the Arkansas School for the Deaf, high school students use electronic mail to correspond with friends in other places, including those met on electronic bulletin boards. Uses of electronic mail are addressed in the context of whole-language instruction. Specific networks appropriate for children, including KendallNet (linking schools for the…