Two research projects focused on the nature of verb choice and its relationship to a composition's general effectiveness and reader impact. In the pilot project, 28 fifth grade students received an instructional unit of 27 lessons emphasizing the incorporation of precise verb vocabulary and the elimination of forms of "to be" and "to have" as main…

Observing writers in isolation, pulling them into research settings in neatly designed studies will reveal nothing about the circumstances that enable people to write. Context, or the setting in which writing actually takes place, may be the most enabling circumstance. Many first grade teachers believe their students cannot write or even spell.…

Designed by Washington curriculum specialists and secondary teachers to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to aid smaller districts lacking curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives Law, this handbook contains learning objectives in the areas of language arts,…

As stated in this guide, the overall goal of the General Educational Development (GED) Program is to provide a practical program of diagnosis, prescription instruction and test readiness for adults so that they may obtain their High School Equivalency Diplomas. Guidelines are herein provided by the New York State Education Department for the…

A study examined student mastery of meaning and use in reading and composing of five formal logical connectors (moreover, accordingly, hence, even so, and still) across school level and class type. Subjects were 100 remedial and nonremedial students from a high school, vocational college, and university who were asked to give a synonym for each…

In the belief that parents and teachers working together are the best means for assuring that children will become skillful writers, this document contains suggestions for parents that are designed to encourage a positive attitude toward writing in children. The first part of the document presents ten things to do at home, including giving…

Northern Kentucky University has implemented a proficiency testing program to screen candidates for admission to the teacher education program. When students are at the sophomore level, four tests are administered: (1) reading proficiency, measured by the Iowa Silent Reading Test; (2) writing proficiency; (3) speech and listening proficiency; and…

The reading improvement program developed at Westminster College (Fulton, Missouri) was designed with a whole language base, one that considered reading, writing, speaking, and listening as inseparable components of language. Specifically, it was designed to meet the needs of 27 freshman students who were determined to be academically capable but…

This report summarizes six studies that examined the work of the Swedish Free Writing in School (FRIS) project, which followed the language development of 191 elementary school students from different socioeconomic areas over a three-year period. Following a brief description of the project, the report discusses each of the six studies, which deal…

Produced in response to a school board's directive to develop a plan for implementing a standardized curriculum in the basic subjects on a district-wide basis, this resource guide is intended to provide teachers with ideas and materials that will assist them in teaching a course in functional basic English skills for eleventh grade students.…

The four components of quality instruction identified by Benjamin Bloom in "Human Characteristics and School Learning" (1976) form the basis of a remedial composition program designed for disadvantaged junior college students. The first component, cues for learning, is programed into the packets of student materials. These cues include identifying…

A number of common procedures underlie speaking, writing, listening, and reading; some students acquire these through exposure while others do not. A program for the teaching of procedures will differ from many conventional programs in that it will first identify and recognize these procedures. Abstract and complex prose and issues of…

Thirteen alternatives to using competency based tests should be considered when diagnosing student competency in writing: teacher-made or departmental tests, teacher-student conferences, contractual grade agreements between student and teacher, student self-evaluation, individualized goal setting, keeping files or portfolios of student work,…

A reading curriculum for adult learners is described, offering guidelines for instruction at three levels of reading equivalency (nonreader to third grade, third through sixth grade, and sixth through ninth grade). The curriculum is designed to help adults develop skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and studying in the content areas. After…

The second of three volumes of an intergrated course in intermediate Persian is presented. This volume encompasses material appropriate for students entering the second year of Persian studies who have strong preparation in elementary Persian. Verbal skills should be on a level which will allow comprehensive discussion of a topic using simple,…