Discusses how one teacher used writing--her own writing as well as that of her graduate students--to learn, about student interests, their writing attitudes, and what a writer really is. Describes the use of dialogue journals, use of excerpted entries for class handouts, and the use of writing for more constructive student assessment. (HTH)

Suggests using the writing folder for such reasons as gaining an improved description and assessment of individual growth in writing, getting a better descriptive picture of writing achievement within the class, and assisting teachers in improving their assessment of writing. (EL)

Discusses the results of a study in which 130 college composition textbooks were examined in order to determine the role that expressive discourse plays in the teaching of writing at the college level. (DF)

Discusses the change in educational philosophy of a reading specialist with a skill-based background who learned the importance of teaching language, reading, and writing as processes rather than as subskills. Describes the techniques she used to help her students become thinking readers and writers. (FL)

Presents a strategy for teaching paragraph cohesion based on the "given-new contract" theory of information transfer that explains why and how to construct unified and cohesive paragraphs. (PD)

Observes that changes in the pattern of social interactions in classrooms as a result of computers may be even more significant than any simple technological effect. Illustrates the point with an example of sixth-grade writing on the QUILL software system, and the student's increased peer interaction and audience awareness. (HTH)

Describes the methodology and results of a study of changes in composition pedagogy in elementary schools. Results indicated increasing time allocated to oral language activities unrelated to writing and decreasing amounts of time allocated to letter and prose writing, word development, and oral exercises used as prewriting strategies. (HTH)

Presents observations on the effects of a word processing program developed for first-grade students. Focuses on the composing and transcribing abilities of six students, representing the range of abilities in the class. (HTH)

Describes how short films can be used as paradigms in the composition class, gives several examples of particular films, and describes how to include film in a class. (CRH)

Outlines a literature course in which students select their best work for grading and must be self-motivated in producing it. (CRH)

Discusses the use of audiotapes for basic writing students and explains different ways to use blank tapes. Describes available programs and lists the companies selling them. (EL)

Provides beginning writers and their instructors with an oral proofreading technique to reduce student errors by 40-50 percent. (CRH)

Demonstrates through a single case study the link between sufficient functional writing skills and the additional symbolic skills needed to improve occupational and academic status. (CRH)

Describes one child's experiences with learning to compose at the computer to illustrate how children have no preconceived expectations and are content to learn the computer's functions as the need arises. Advocates a classroom environment in which children are free to explore the computer's potential at their own pace. (HTH)

Suggests that perception is most vigorous and thus most amenable to organization when guided by teaching that places creativity before communication. (MM)