This study addresses the validation of a holistic English assessment process used at Cabrillo College (California). The process of prompt development, scoring rubrics, reader training, scoring, and administration procedures have remained largely unchanged over the years. This report provides new evidence on content validity, consequential and cut…

Phonetic content/handwriting instruction begins by teaching the sounds of, and letter formation for the 70 "Orton" phonograms which are the commonly-used correct spelling patterns for the 45 sounds of English speech. The purpose for teaching the sound/symbol relationship first in isolation, without key words or pictures (explicitly), is to give…

This booklet presents the Written Response part of the English 30 Grade 12 Diploma examination in Alberta, Canada. After instructions for students, the booklet presents the first part of the examination in which students respond to Thom Gunn's poem "Tamer and Hawk," which addresses the nature and effect of a ruling passion in an…

Literacy development begins in the very early stages of childhood, even though the activities of young children may not seem related to reading and writing. In 1966, New Zealand researcher Marie Clay introduced the term "emergent literacy" to describe the behaviors seen in young children when they use books and writing materials to…

This Topical Bibliography and Commentary reviews the recent research literature which focuses on writing--specifically, word choice in writing. The bibliography/commentary first lays a foundation that chronicles the importance of writing instruction in school. It then summarizes the importance of choosing quality words when writing, gives examples…

This lesson introduces Family Message Journals, a tool for encouraging family involvement and supporting writing to reflect and learn. First and second graders are led into composing through demonstration, guided writing, and finally independent writing of messages that they will bring home for family to read and write a reply. During the three…

This article summarizes research conducted in Gifted Algebra I and Gifted Precalculus classes in a public, suburban high school in spring 2002, which investigated the importance of reading and writing in understanding mathematical principles. The classroom teacher supplemented traditional numerical problem solving with vocabulary quizzes, reading…

This study investigated the metacognitive knowledge, especially declarative and procedural knowledge, of Taiwanese university students who majored in English and were considered skilled writers. Researchers examined their metacognitive processes and writing strategies using introspective interviews that highlighted the following: their experiences…

To succeed in today's information-driven economy, young people need to know how to write and communicate effectively. Writing is important for both academic and workplace success. Most National Writing Project (NWP) teachers who were surveyed in May 2001 stated that the NWP helped them become more up-to-date on the latest research, more familiar…

The Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) initiative seeks to provide students with discipline-specific skills they will need in order to succeed, first in the university, and eventually in their chosen professional careers. This goal is accomplished in an egalitarian framework: all students are educated in the conventions of "academic writing" in a…

When writer's workshop is introduced to the kindergarten classroom, students often do not have the basic skills they need to participate in the process. Teachers should not let that prevent them from introducing writing instruction to their young students. This book shows teachers that all the skills they need to teach their young writers can be…

From reading texts to annotating web pages, grade 6-8 students rely on group cooperation and individual reading and writing skills in this research project that spans six 50-minute lessons. Student objectives for this project are that they will: read, discuss, and keep a journal on a book in literature circles; understand the elements of and…

This brochure (which can be used in the classroom as a poster) is intended to provide "a quick way into" the Assessment of Achievement Programme (AAP) English language survey and its findings. The brochure pinpoints the reading purpose and strands that the survey covered. It contains brief sections on performance over time; gender…

This Volunteer Literacy Manual is designed to facilitate the involvement of parents and community members as reading and writing partners with young children. The manual is not a training manual for the volunteer, but rather a manual to help organize the volunteer effort. It is intended to assist schools and community organizations in developing…

The ultimate purpose of the language arts standards presented in this document is to ensure that all students be offered the opportunities, the encouragement, and the vision to develop the language skills they need to pursue lifelong goals, including finding personal enrichment and participating as informed members of society. The language arts…