Characterizes personal and open letters as less "ritualized" than more formal types. Refers to exercise types contained in English-teaching texts used in West Germany, and discusses possible themes and methodology for teaching. (IFS/WGA)

The article describes a special writing program for learning disabled high school students with the following four components: (1) writing exercises in class as well as at home; (2) peer and teacher evaluation of writing skills and samples; (3) reading comprehension; and (4) reading enhancement. (PHR)

The O.S.U. Step Test was administered to 68 male university students to determine the objectivity of three methods of monitering heart rate--subjects count, investigator's count, and ECG records--with results indicating that the investigator was significantly more accurate in heart rate determination than were the subjects. (MB)

Through the use of personal anecdotes, the author details his initial experience with orienteering, a sport rapidly increasing in popularity that teaches people not to get lost in the woods. Sources of information about orienteering are provided. (BT)

Finger-snapping, toe-tapping music is a prelude to penmanship practice. (Editor)

A study of 58 students in fifth grade (4 with disabilities) examined consequences of a statewide performance assessment program using Curriculum-Based Measurement. Results found significant gains in written expression, but no progress in reading, and concluded that this probably reflected increased time in writing activities in preparation for the…

A study of 254 Mexican American eighth-grade girls in south Texas found that girls' self-esteem was positively related to body image and exercise involvement and negatively related to body fatness. This population displayed somewhat distorted body image, which was the strongest predictor of self-esteem. Contains 43 references. (SV)

Discusses uses learning logs for student assessment. Defines learning logs. Discusses structuring the logs; student voices and responses; a map drawing assignment; and using logs for evaluation. (RS)

Discusses contraindications to athletic participation, examining the cardiac, respiratory, and central nervous system conditions that warrant activity disqualification. Provides guidelines about when it is safe for individuals to participate, and discusses the physician's responsibility. (SM)

Compared the metabolic and cardiovascular responses of young and older women while performing shallow water exercise (SWE). Overall, SWE elicited metabolic and cardiovascular responses that met American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines for establishing health benefits. Older females self-selected a greater relative exercise intensity during…

This article describes a comprehensive cognitive-linguistic intervention program for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients that provided communication skills practice in the context of health-enhancing and esteem-building community-based activities, physical fitness training and supervised volunteer work. Effects for four participants…

Offers two expository writing exercises that, machinelike, move from word to idea to arrive at rich and evocative connections. Shows how the first exercise, the four-column association, produces a free-form paragraph or poem following a freewriting warmup. Uses the term "placket" to describe the second exercise, a poem that has a set of…

Strength training is an effective method of developing musculoskeletal strength and is often prescribed for fitness, health, and for prevention and rehabilitation of orthopedic injuries. This paper describes and presents a rationale for the population-specific strength training guidelines established by major health organizations. (SM)

A method of second-language instruction that acknowledges and reinforces the connection between ordinary and artistic uses of language is discussed. The theory, rationale, methods, and some sample activities for the approach are outlined. (MSE)