A writing program was developed and implemented, using available technology, to increase the quality and the quantity of written communication of three heterogeneously grouped classes of fifth graders. The students learned to use the word processor, Magic Slate II, for process writing assignments. A modem, Supra Modem 2400, and Proterm software…

A practicum was designed to improve and expand the writing skills of 13 fifth-grade students placed in an upper elementary school Alternative Education program. The major goal was to provide the students with the means to improve their written output and grammar. Secondary goals were to help the children to think logically about the writing tasks…

A study examined (1) a nine-year-old girl's view of writing, (2) the factors contributing to the construction of that view, (3) her parents' and teacher's views, and (4) the relationship among these various views. Both samples of writing and an interview schedule were used to elicit writing views from each of the participants concerning their…

In an effort to reduce student writing apprehension, an informal, in-class study was conducted in a lower-level college writing course at an Alabama university. The 16 students in this course took a Writing Apprehension Test (WAT--pretest) on the first day of class. Throughout the course, all writing was based on student experiences and came from…

Noting that the study of intrapersonal communication (inner speech) is increasingly recognized as an integral part of communication education, this paper argues that introspective writing, such as memoirs and personal journals, can be studied in communication classes for the confirmation they offer of theoretical descriptions of internal…

Developed as a model for teachers faced with the task of assigning research papers to students who are still apprentice writers, this two-part paper explores the possibilities of written response that reside both in the dialogic interplay of ideas in utopian texts and in the criticism of utopian texts. The first part examines some ideas contained…

A writing folder is a resource tool which has been designed to reflect the phases of the writing process and which complements other classroom strategies and teaching methods used to enhance the understanding of this process. A field test was conducted during the 1985-86 school year to gather information on the use of writing folders in 78 North…

Intended for educators on the postsecondary level, this annotated bibliography lists ERIC documents and relevant articles concerning computer assisted instruction. Specifically, it contains citations on the following subjects: (1) the philosophy behind computer usage, (2) general information to help decide whether to use computers in a writing…

Two main points should be noted concerning strategies recommended for teaching basic writing students. First, teachers can develop only those strategies that are consonant with their own personalities and that will enable students to develop their own writing strategies. Second, whatever strategies are selected should lead students beyond the…

Intended as a tool for school district personnel as they develop competency-based education programs for English composition, this document presents objectives and guidelines for improving composition quality and instruction. The chapters cover the following topics: (1) the writing process, (2) the relationship between the writing process and…

Noting that effective writing instruction depends on careful planning informed by knowledge of the writing process and its variations in relation to different audiences and purposes, this teacher's guide explains the nature of the writing process and how it relates to instruction. The purposes of the guide are threefold: to highlight current…

Contributed by high school English teachers across the United States, the activities contained in this booklet are intended to promote the effective teaching of English and the language arts. Activities in the first section of the booklet focus on language exploration--the subtle nuances of meaning, rhythm in poetry, and the power of the…

Written by teachers, linguists, psychologists, and reading specialists, this book elucidates the relationship between reading and language, and explains why reading should be regarded as a language-based process. The book is divided into eight sections, each of which includes an introduction and sources for further reading. The essays for each…

Intended to categorize the literature on writing with word processors in high school and college classrooms and to determine the quality of the literature as well, this critical review looks at selected works on word processing in English instruction. The first section examines studies and methodologies, while the second section investigates…

Designed for ninth grade English teachers, this curriculum guide contains (1) a course description; (2) educational goals; (3) teaching perspective; (4) a set of general principles; (5) a list of questions that teachers ask, along with answers; (6) an overview; and (7) directions for writing as a process, higher level thinking skills, how to…