This paper demonstrates the compatability of Aristotle's Four Causes (material, formal, efficient, and final) and George Campbell's Four Forms of Discourse (description, narration, exposition, and argumentation) and synthesizes them to form an ordered yet flexible writing model that can be used in composition instruction. Within the context of…

Addressed to teachers of composition and to other professional students of prose, this book develops a philosophy of composition based on the nature and history of writing. Chapters discuss distinctive features of written speech, the normative character of written speech, progressive tendencies in the history of language and prose, refinement of…

A study of four unusually competent high school writers was undertaken to determine the reasons for varying durations of pause in writing. It was believed that a writer pauses during transcribing to rehearse, plan, and reformulate and to make a number of crucial decisions about syntax, semantics, and discourse. Each student spent a total of 12…

In 1963 the National Council of Teachers of English published a major summary of research in composition, sometimes referred to as the Braddock Report, which included 24 questions that addressed areas in which further research was needed. This paper describes more than 100 published and unpublished reports of research conducted since the Braddock…

Representing various scholarly interests and ideologies, 7 of the 12 essays discuss ethnographers frequent misrepresentation of Chicano culture because they are unaware of the "performance" element of Chicano behavior; "agringado joking", a tactic used by Texas Chicanos to mark ethnic boundaries and to protect their cultural…

An experimental workshop conducted weekly within a successful freshman English enrichment program enabled students to meet distinguished business, professional, and governmental leaders. The object of the workshop, termed "The Role of Writing in the World of Work," was to help the students discern the practical consequences of being able to write…

The cries of the 1960s for relevance and innovation in the teaching of English have given way to the demands of the 1970s to get back to the basics. Teachers may wonder whether there really was a revolution in teaching in the 1960s or whether traditional English teaching actually prevailed. Whatever the case, it is time for the competing factions…

The Oregon Council of Teachers of English and the Oregon Language Arts Association have worked together in recent years in attempting to meet the professional challenges faced by teachers of English and the language arts. Activities sponsored by these and other Oregon groups have included the establishment of inservice writing projects for…

After examining major concerns that have been developing in many schools and communities with regard to elective English programs, this paper notes the need for a "second generation" of English programs that will incorporate the successful features of electives yet will seek solutions to the obvious problems. It outlines a model curriculum based…

This paper explores the characteristics and problems many language learning disabled (LLD) and dyslexic students have in college and suggests ways for college English composition teachers to help them. LLD students are often poor spellers and their handwriting looks like that of a younger child. Constant difficulty with certain grammatical…

This booklet consists of guidelines for teaching language usage and skills, oral and written composition, and listening in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. A statement of approach introduces the three main sections of the guide. In the first section, programs are detailed in charts under the following four categories for each of the three…

This book contains ideas and numerous practical examples for instructors interested in designing their own method for teaching secondary English. Each chapter focuses on a single issue or problem, practical or theoretical, which English teachers face in today's schools. An introductory essay on each topic surveys the dimensions of the problem and…

An attempt to secure information regarding the undergraduate composition training of secondary school English teachers presently teaching in selected Pennsylvania English departments was made in this study. To collect data on the undergraduate composition training of Pennsylvania English teachers, the researcher mailed 1,005 questionnaires to 80…

Phyllis Whitney, author of more than 30 juvenile novels and 20 adult novels, offers specific advice to aspiring writers on how to write, and sell, fiction for young people. Telling a good story, entertaining the reader, is the most important factor in each of the four divisions of children's books. These divisions can be structured roughly…

This collection focuses on writing exercises, both expository and creative, as well as areas of adjacent concern. The book is divided into nine major sections: prewriting; diction; theme, thesis, and paragraph; style; ideas for whole papers and special topics; description; research; the short story; and rewriting. The exercises deal with such…