In fall 1993, Golden West College (GWC), in California, participated in a large-scale study coordinated by Computerized Assessment and Placement Programs (CAPP) to gather evidence supportive of the College Board Assessment and Placement Services (APS) tests. The study focused on gathering instructor ratings of student preparedness levels in a…

This paper describes a paraphrasing activity devised to assist English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) graduate students at Ohio State University develop their academic writing skills. The activity is based on the community language learning approach. The students in the class were divided into groups of three, with each group member in turn assigned…

This annotated bibliography includes about 170 citations of dissertations, articles, papers, and other studies concerning the development of writing skills in non-native English-speakers. The works cited are based on the collection and analysis of data, and do not include articles describing or prescribing pedagogical approaches or curricula.…

Inspired by the researcher's interest in the subject, but also in response to state-mandated assessment, Virginia Military Institute (VMI) initiated a pilot program to evaluate the portfolio method of teaching writing. Half of VMI's English department used the portfolio approach, while the other half applied other teaching methods. Prior research…

Findings of a 1989 national survey of the functional reading, writing, and numeracy skills of Canada's adult population are reported. The survey population was a representative sample of 9,500 individuals aged 16-69. Three questionnaires gathered information on socio-demographic and educational background, screened out individuals with very low…

Most at-risk students do not know how to read, speak, or write, and those who know how, frequently elect not to. The problem for educators is thus two-fold, motivating the student to become engaged in the literary process and helping the teacher to engender such engagement. Music may be one way of fostering this engagement. A literature review…

To learn more about the relationship between personality type and the writing skills of college freshmen composition students, a study was conducted to explore the hypothesis that essays written by students who were N (intuitive) preference types would be judged better in overall quality than those written by S (sensing) preference types.…

Intended to help teachers, curriculum directors, school administrators, and school board members follow through on their commitment to teach students how to become better writers, the techniques and resources described in this booklet are arranged into seven chapters. The first chapter examines whether the "writing crisis" is fact or…

The articles in this collection are intended to present a detailed picture of the work of Donald Graves and his associates at the Writing Process Laboratory (WPL) of the University of New Hampshire. The introduction provides an overview of the work of Graves and examines his views of beginning writing, writing conferences, revision, audience, and…

An introductory two-semester education course for preservice elementary school teachers addresses in the first semester the topics of childhood, and how the family and society relate to teaching. In the second semester topics include children in the classroom, teaching philosophies, and professional issues. Student writing is used as a feedback…

Both teaching technical editing skills in a logical sequence from introductory through intermediate and advanced levels, and helping students learn how to offer creative help to authors call for a structured approach to the editing course. Editing students should already have a firm knowledge of spelling, punctuation, and grammar, as well as…

The content of a good speech writing course includes an explanation of the function and impact of speech writers, an examination of speeches produced by professional writers, and a focus on the sharpening of students' writing skills. The content must also be balanced between the practical/professional and the abstract/academic aspects of the…

The New Jersey College Basic Skills Placement Test (NJCBSPT) was instituted in 1978 as a proficiency examination designed to measure the reading, writing, and mathematics skills of students entering college. In spring and summer 1982, 51,135 students at New Jersey's state and county colleges and at 10 independent colleges took the NJCBSPT. Of…

This multi-curriculum study unit focuses on holidays, anniversaries, and special days. In addition to a calendar of monthly events, worksheets with games, puzzles and activities for lessons are included. The worksheets can be duplicated for students, placed in learning center folders, or used as examples for developing new worksheets. Some of the…

Once its source has been identified using the multidimensional model developed by D. W. Stacks, R. W. Boozer, and T. D. P. Lally, writing apprehension, especially among business writing students, can be treated in the classroom with specific pedagogical techniques. Emphasizing the writing process rather than the product--stressing peer and teacher…