Describes ways teachers assess and evaluate students' reading and writing skills, such as miscue analysis, running record approach, dated writing samples, and individual conferences. Provides six checklists to assist in the evaluation of children's reading and writing abilities and interests. (TJQ)

Reports on three studies conducted in the Netherlands about the reading reliability of lay and expert readers in rating content and language usage of students' writing performances in three kinds of writing assignments. Findings reveal that expert readers are more reliable in rating usage, whereas both lay and expert readers are reliable raters of…

Documents benefits of free "associative written activities" on students' writing. Experimental students used an individual associative prewriting activity, whereas the control group was not required to free associate. Compositions of students in first semester, second semester, fourth semester, and sixth semester and beyond were evaluated…

Investigates the issues and procedures of assessment in English and considers what advice the Association of Departments of English can usefully offer to departments and chairs engaged with the problem of developing assessment initiatives, especially initiatives focused on the documentation of student learning. Discusses comments from the field in…

Explains the importance of problem solving and critical thinking for scientific literacy and discusses assessment strategies to evaluate student problem solving. (YDS)

Discusses how to grade papers online. Proposes that students whose papers are graded online internalize information more readily than students whose papers are not. Concludes that through meeting on the Internet, many students sense a narrowing culture gap between teachers and students. (PM)

An investigation of the application of a genre-based approach for the teaching of scientific and technical writing to English-as-a-Second-Language students explores how a genre for feedback on written reports can be created and implemented with the aid of a "small expert system." (Author/CB)

Explores rhetorical specification in writing tasks by examining responses to a poorly constructed task used in large-scale placement testing at a major university. Argues that fictional scenarios (writing prompts which give student writers a role to play) can be effective, provided that the roles created are reasonable ones for students to adopt.…

Discusses the most satisfying part of teaching writing--helping students discover what they have to say and showing them how to say it. Notes that the basic skills of writing (audience awareness, organizing thoughts, and revising) are bigger than the rules of grammar and spelling and do not change from grade to grade. (RS)

Discusses aspects of one teacher's responses to students' writing that have survived over the years. Argues that students (1) should write for a teenage audience; (2) deserve written and oral responses from their peers; and (3) benefit from successes shared with their parents. Suggests that responses to writing begin with content, which makes…

Argues that recent teaching strategies geared toward improving student writing through positive reinforcement have resulted in mediocre writing products. Suggests that mechanics be given the same value as content in the evaluation process. (KEH)

Describes an assignment given on the second class meeting in which students, working in pairs, find all the elements of organization used in a particular annual report and calculate sample sentence and paragraph lengths. Notes that such an activity serves as an introduction to class discussions on professional writing style. (RS)

Reviews two recent studies of the effects of using word processing as part of the instructional process in writing. Concludes that neither study gives unqualified support for the use of word processors in the teaching of writing. Notes that this column will continue to review these kinds of studies. (RS)

Describes a think-aloud, oral feedback procedure that English-as-a-Second-Language teachers may use to respond to student writing as interested native-language readers intent on comprehending the written message, and not as editors or proofreaders. (Author/CB)

Describes a program which pairs English instructors with instructors from other disciplines to improve student writing by developing writing assignments, grading techniques, and essay testing components. (RAE)