Using the "pattern approach" is a means of teaching students to be confident and competent writers. In this method, the writer uses a device called a planning blank to establish purpose, audience, topic, and role as a writer. Then the overall structure can be planned. A good writing plan should suggest not only a beginning, middle, and…

While discouraging using writing as punishment, this pamphlet shows how writing can be a tool to support learning. The pamphlet discusses the following ten ways that writing can be used in any school subject to enhance learning and to develop students' thinking processes: (1) to identify personal goals, (2) to comprehend reading material, (3) to…

Discusses style-developing assignments in which students simulate the characteristic features of a distinctive manner of speaking. Suggests using impersonation as an invention strategy (e.g., by adopting a controversial persona position), and to encourage stylistic fluency through parodies, dialogues, or polyphonic essays. Also suggests using…

E. D. Hirsch in his book "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" sees gaps in common cultural information as the leading cause of illiteracy. Hirsch compiles nearly 5,000 facts and figures that represent what literate Americans need to know. (MLW)

Contends that a political science class is an excellent place to help students learn better writing skills. Argues that by doing so, students will develop better thinking skills for political science inquiry. Discusses obstacles to helping students improve writing skills and offers six guidelines to help students develop writing skills in a…

Reports on a study to determine the effectiveness of an integrated study strategy system that uses self-assigned writing as a means of learning psychology content. Concludes that the PORPE (Predict, Organize, Rehearse, Practice, and Evaluate) system can be a potent, durable, and efficient independent study strategy. (JAD)

Synthesizes documents from the ERIC database concerning the research paper as an effective tool in developing communication and study skills, and suggests strategies for helping students successfully research and write a paper. (RS)

Offers examples of how the Red and Black, an independent student newspaper at the University of Georgia, covers student activities. (JK)

Indicates that, although it was not easy for students to apply what they had learned from writing personal narratives to other subjects and other types of stories, the personal narrative assignment turned out to be much more than a way to keep students writing between interview-based assignments. (JK)

Presents ten ideas for improving student writing skills in high school social studies courses. The ideas are based on the use of the writing cycle and lead students toward the preparation of a persuasive essay. (GEA)

Describes a course designed to train students to read original empirical articles independently and critically. Uses a case-study approach to help students develop data-reading skills and a coherent writing style. Includes methods for teaching the course and guidelines for the critical reading of empirical articles. (Author/GEA)

Describes a system for arranging assignments in a composition course that aims to prepare students for academic writing, by focusing entirely on exposition and its conceptual demands. (HTH)

The authors suggest a broad range of writing activities for students in subject area classes, which will foster content learning as well as writing proficiency; a network of teachers skilled in developing curriculum materials based on writing; and expectations for writing in content area classes, such as mathematics, science, and social studies.…

Critics comment on three earlier "College English" articles: Mike Rose's "The Language of Exclusion: Writing Instruction at the University," Elizabeth A. Nist's "Tattle's Well's Faire: English Women Authors of the Sixteenth Century," and Patrick Hartwell's "Grammar, Grammars, and the Teaching of Grammar." Contains responses from Mike Rose and…

Describes how the structure and size of the freshman writing class was changed to deal with the large demand for these classes and the problems in staffing them. Discusses the university's commitment to writing across the curriculum, the writing center, the student tutor program, the use of a collaborative-workshop method, and the writing…