Describes opportunities and activities for a short unit on the yearbook inscription, one that contains information on cliches, anecdotes, persona, character development, and familiarizing students with various reference books. (RL)

Compares the stages of print awareness in two children to emphasize the developmental stages of literacy. Emphasizes the importance of parents and teachers responding appropriately as children develop their reading and writing skills. (HTH)

The results were interpreted as support for the view that oral and written language are interactive in their development, and that young children come to school with some reading abilities. For related information see EC 132 758-768. (Author)

Discusses the audio-visual orientation of contemporary students and urges writing teachers to convert students' facility with aural modes into effective written discourse. Suggests that instructor comments on written assignments be made on cassette tapes and that campus lectures be used to stimulate student writing. (JP)

Because the cumulative nature of paragraphs can be compared to that of a sentence, Indian students who learn how to add words to the end of sentences to make them "richer" and more complex can better understand how to improve their writing at the paragraph level. (DS)

Common pitfalls in technical writing and how to avoid them are outlined. These pitfalls include goobledygook words and phrases, plodding style, failure to follow the prescribed format for publication or proposals, misuse of words, inconsistencies, and failure to edit or proofread adequately. (MSE)

Based on problems noted in essay writing among first year students in college-level sociology courses, the article explains a self-assessment program intended to enhance the educational benefits of essay writing. (Author/DB)

Reports that sentence combining studies have consistently recorded significant gains in writing improvement at all grade levels and that, while reading comprehension gains have not been as significant, fewer studies have been conducted in that area. (FL)

Valgardson discusses his attitudes toward his work and toward the teaching of writing. (RL)

Recommends using literature to increase elementary school children's interest in reading and to provide them with forms and patterns for writing. (FL)

The author believes the essay is a good instrument for giving students practice in reading, thinking, and writing, and describes a model for scoring student essays. When using the model, judges ranked essays in similar order, thus allowing essay writing to become a reliable tool for developing basic skills. (KC)

West Chester State College's pilot project to improve writing builds on writing skills established in the freshman English courses and extends these skills through writing practice and instruction in the humanities and other disciplines. Obstacles encountered in developing the program, program design, instructional techniques, and spinoff projects…

A statement of course objectives for a first-year course in legal writing is proposed. Its uses are described and problems that arise in the context of a legal writing course are noted. A statement of objectives in a form appropriate for distribution is appended. (Author/MLW)

Ward Welty notes that the standard advertising course could be improved by including a unit of study in rhetoric, especially Aristotelian rhetoric. Bruce Vanden Bergh reports on research on the differences in creating advertising copy for radio versus the visual media of magazines, newspapers, and television. (RL)

Using data from descriptive essays written at three grade levels, this study examined the theoretical assumption that semantic abbreviation (an inadequate representation of situational and cultural contexts of language in student writing) is attributable to the influence of spoken language. (HOD)