A study examined children's writing development in two kindergarten classrooms during the course of a school year, with particular consideration to context, teacher-provided support, and characterization of students' writing. The study was based on the theoretical concepts of writing-as-play and writing-as-exploration, as well as emergent literacy…

This book shares the author's discoveries in a first-grade classroom about Family Message Journals--notebooks in which children write a message to their families each day about something they did, learned, or thought about in school, and then a family member writes a message in reply. The book is intended to spur other teachers to reflect on how…

Presents the findings of a recent study on the writing and reading achievement of low SES children. Concludes that there is a need for more emphasis on writing for these children. (JL)

Manuscript letter strokes made by second and third grade children on wide- and normal-spaced paper were studied. Second graders wrote better on wide-spaced paper, while third graders were unaffected by spacing. Results suggest that the transition to normal-spaced paper can be most advantageously made in second grade. (Authors/PP)

Reviews studies that explore the nature of the relationships between reading and writing and that suggest the influence of writing on word recognition, reading comprehension, and reading motivation. Offers six recommendations for classroom instruction based on the available information about the reading/writing relationship. (GT)

Presents a report of the second and third years of a study that describes one teacher's experience with change as he implements a process approach to the teaching of writing. Shows the development of a multistrand program that facilitates the writing development of the class as a whole. (MG)

Appraises and provides validity evidence on the reliability of secondary students' scores on attitudes toward writing as measured by the Daly and Miller Writing Apprehension Scale (WAS) and the Attitudes toward Writing with the Computer Scale (ATWCS). Concludes that students' attitudes toward writing and toward writing with the computer can be…

Studies the effectiveness of teaching middle school students to give focused and specific responses to their peers during collaborative writing response groups using the organizational technique called "Praise-Question-Polish" (PQP). Finds that the number of specific comments rose significantly while the number of vague comments dropped…

Contrasts immediate and delayed effects of focused freewriting and focused thought on lecture comprehension. Finds the immediate effect was increased comprehension. However, on a one-week delayed test, the performance of the focused freewriting group was below that of the focused-thought group. (Author/NL)

Examines fifth- and sixth-grade students' metacognitive knowledge about the processes of writing narrative and expository texts. Finds that creating a communicative context enhances students' awareness of audience and purpose, as well as their understanding of different aspects of the writing process. (MG)

Presents some of the better-known models to describe the process to writing. Combines some of their common features into a framework that is useful for thinking and talking about the roles that computers may play in supporting "the writing process." (MG)

Synthesizes critical thinking research in four areas--reading, writing, group interactions, and speaking--and discusses the implications of those studies for library information science research. The potential for employing critical thinking strategies in bibliographic instruction and the need for library science educators to initiate their own…

Finds that, among 36 Ontario students in grades 5-8, use of word processing in a language arts program increased writing productivity for all students and number of revisions for certain grades. However, fifth graders were significantly less able than others to use word processing technology. Contains 23 references. (SV)

Reports a protocol study of a freshman composition student to examine how significant a problem it actually is to learn to operate a computer, how influential students' expectations about computers are, whether the use of a computer promoted the importance of invention strategies, and whether computers encourage revision. (MS)

Discusses the inadequacies of standard conceptions of the writing process by relating the experiences of one child in a writing class. Proposes alternative ways to expand the concept of the writing process by incorporating related activities in reading, art, and drama. (MS)