Describes a college instructor's observations of her students' writing blocks. Suggests that female students' writing blocks differ from males'. Asserts that females' blocks last longer and cause greater distress than do males' writing blocks. Notes that female students also appear to experience difficulty in utilizing secondary sources and…

Describes a model of social writing, for use in writing socially relevant, easy-to-read books for new adult readers, which incorporates expressive, cognitive, and social aspects. Elaborates the process from topic selection through manuscript printing, compares the model to other types, and touches upon its transfer to other settings and other…

Studies the effects of word processing on the composing processes of six basic writers. Concludes that quantity and quality of revisions are not likely to increase, that word processing initially causes many interventions in composing, and that better writers are more likely to use word processing programs in advantageous ways. (RS)

Explores the thinking strategies or "inner languages" children employ when they read and write. Finds merging of different patterns of thought in most children, which varied with the task at hand. Proposes that teachers structure time and space according to children's varied needs. (MS)

Reports a study, using sixth graders' introspective self-reports, to determine the context in which students use knowledge about narrative text structure, how they use this knowledge, and why they do not always employ this knowledge. (RAE)

Describes an ethnographic study of an inservice graduate course designed to help teachers use computers to teach writing and other skills to the academically able. Claims the course significantly reduced teachers' computer anxiety and their writing apprehension. (RS)

Examines the differences between oral and written languages, including differences in register, style, and syntax. Asserts that reading aloud and giving instructions are two ways to focus on the connection between oral and written language and the processes of reading and writing. (MM)

Describes the Self-Directed Process Approach (SDPA) to teaching writing, specifically in regard to teaching Technical Report Writing to a class of 114 engineering students in the National Diploma course in Nigeria. SPDA teaches students to be their own educators and to be responsible for their own improvement; hence it is especially suitable for…

A model of writing instruction integrating word processing, strategy instruction, and a process approach, within a social context for writing as a meaningful task, was tested with 113 elementary students with learning disabilities. Students in experimental classes made greater gains in quality of their narrative and informative writing than did…

Discusses the nature of good writing strategies, illustrates principles of correction and evaluation, and describes the elements of a writing curriculum for college students of Italian. The author suggests a series of writing activities and evaluation criteria to assess writing proficiency at beginning and intermediate levels. (26 references) (CK)

When teaching writing, most high school English teachers encourage students to express their feelings. The paper discusses the evolution of process writing, which is a belief that writing is a process of discovery and not a product. The paper questions process writing, suggesting it adversely affects clarity, structure, and thought. (SM)

A study investigated the relationship between university students' individual writing process skill and product quality in Japanese and either English or Chinese. Results show no clear relationship between process and product but show similarity in writing process across languages and correlation between general Japanese language skill and written…

A teacher of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writing describes how attempting to understand Malay students' cultural oral orientation helped her to understand their writing processes and needs and to incorporate such aspects into the ESL writing program. (12 references) (CB)

System D is a computer program for writing in French. This program has a tracking device that provides a log of student inquiries made during the writing process. Twenty-one college students of French participated in a study to examine how this log provides data about the foreign language writing process. Suggestions are given on how to use the…

The author and illustrator of a picture book about the life cycle of the lynx describes the research and development process she used to create the book. Contacts with wildlife biologists, presenting the predator/prey relationship, creating pictures and text, drawing from life, and creating the book jacket are among the topics covered. (KRN)