The work involved in preparing writing skill specifications that could be used to determine bilingual students' entry into and exit from bilingual programs is described in this paper. The first section of the paper details the steps involved in identifying the critical writing skills required in grades one through six, while the second section…

Evidence from a variety of sources suggests that systematic differences can be found in the ratings given to student essays as a function not only of the student's skills but also of aspects of both the student's background and the background of the rater. Additionally, the nature of the prompt which provided the central theme of the essay might…

Intended for writing instructors at all educational levels, the chapters in this collection discuss the philosophy and principles of the teaching of writing in an effort to capitalize on the current public interest in writing. Chapter topics are (1) the basics of teaching writing; (2) teaching the composing process; (3) writing assignments and…

This is a guide designed for professionals who need to assess the literacy ability of adults. The three general categories of literacy skills which are distinguished include generic literacy skills, everyday skills, and job-related skills. Functional literacy has been defined in various ways, therefore, the assessment of it is very difficult. The…

It is often difficult for students in public relations writing courses to understand precisely how their various writing assignments are being evaluated. It is important, therefore, for teachers of these courses to develop a systematic method of evaluating all writing assignments. One method of doing this is to concentrate on elements common to…

Based on the Bay Area Writing Project, The Jefferson Parish (Louisiana) Writing Project (JPWP) was developed, focusing on improving writing instruction and writing itself. Each year, one public high school becomes a demonstration center for intensive staff development, school-wide writing assessment, and workshops for teachers at neighboring…

The results of a national survey to determine the current status of statewide writing assessments are presented in this report. Various sections of the report provide (1) an explanation of terms commonly associated with writing assessment; (2) a brief account of the status of states' writing assessments; (3) individual summaries of administrative…

Constructed on the premise that the teacher with a written assignment to evaluate seeks procedures and activities for remediating the errors present in that assignment, this handbook is designed as a tool for the teaching of remedial composition in grades five through twelve. The handbook is composed of a checklist and a diagnostic grid, followed…

Teachers actively engaged in responding to their students' written narratives should be mindful of the many influences on their students' writing, including the abuses of the language by government bureaucracies and the media. Examples of these abuses are (1) the lack of density and direction or purpose in bureaucratic writing, (2) the disjointed,…

Designed for educators actively involved with the teaching of writing, this report contains an overview of the procedures and a detailed presentation of the findings and recommendations of the 1979 Manitoba (Canada) Writing Assessment program. Following an introduction, the five major sections of the report provide the following information: (1)…

Although the design of the writing task itself may present assessment problems, the scoring of the piece of writing raises the greatest difficulties for large-scale testing of writing ability. A study investigated whether teachers and staff members of the Southwest Regional Laboratory (SWRL) (1) scored the same way, (2) agreed with each other in…

This guidebook was developed by a team of elementary and secondary school English teachers to help teachers of all subjects with the difficult tasks of evaluating students' expository writing and stimulating student growth in the art and craft of writing. The twelve parts of the guidebook deal with the following topics: guidelines for giving a…

Reports analysis of 1,892 essays written by 11 graders in a district-wide writing assessment. Scored for ability to (1) use conventions of standard written English and (2) support an argument, the papers show that 17-year-olds have trouble supporting an argument despite proficiency in mechanics. Argues against teaching superficial correctness. (JG)

Reported on the application of a speech communication instrument called the RHETSEN scale, which sorts subjects' responses by rhetorical sensitivity, noble self, and rhetorical reflector. Subjects were members of the Society for Technical Communication. Found that sex, age, and education level affected response type significantly. (SKC)

Proposing an interdisciplinary approach to writing improvement, Carter presents a plan whereby the social studies teacher becomes an advocate for improving writing in all subjects in the curriculum. Provides a teacher questionnaire, a yearly plan for writing improvement across the curriculum, a writing evaluation instrument, and suggestions for…