Providing students in grades 6-8 with practice and reinforcement in editing for capitalization, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, usage, and content, this computer software program contains over 30 written accounts that have been sequenced from easier to more difficult. The program has 3 levels of play: beginning, intermediate, and advanced. At each…

This paper discusses the similarities in the difficulties that developmental writers and non-native English speakers/writers bring to the classroom and how this can influence instructors' choices of pedagogical strategies. The paper proposes a method of teaching that encourages teacher comfort with basic writing such that student work remains the…

Based on the idea that good writing is developed with instruction, critique, and practice, this book, intended for teachers of grades 2-6, offers a comprehensive outline for guiding students to writing competence. For each month of the school year, the book gives sample daily sentences for primary and upper elementary grades, journal writing…

Readers theater is a storytelling device that stimulates the imagination and promotes all of the language arts. Readers theater is an oral interpretation of a piece of literature read in a dramatic style. It involves and motivates students, energizes the language arts program, and stimulates learning. Geared for children in grades 1-4, this book…

This paper presents the revised Core Curriculum standards (the essential ideas, concepts, and skills) for the K-6 reading language arts required of students in Utah. It notes that the Core should be taught with respect for differences in learning styles, learning rates, and individual capabilities without losing sight of the common goals.…

This article describes efforts by Plymouth State College (PSC), New Hampshire, to improve the writing deficiencies of otherwise qualified candidates for teacher education programs. The study examined students' perceptions of writing at PSC, which uses an integrated model to improve writing. Writing is assessed during first-year orientation.…

This paper addresses problems with performance on open-ended (i.e., not multiple choice) test questions administered on paper for students accustomed to writing with computers. The first section summarizes the results of three studies that examined differences between computer and paper-and-pencil test results. The second section identifies three…

Intended for parents and teachers, this guide provides all the information needed to lead a second grader through 30 lessons or 30 weeks of learning for a beginning speller. The guide helps the child to learn to identify common, logical spelling patterns; leads the child quickly to more complex words; and aids him or her in becoming a confident,…

Intended for parents and teachers, this guide provides all the information needed to lead a third grader through 30 lessons or 30 weeks of learning for a speller. The guide helps the child to learn to identify common, logical spelling patterns; leads the child quickly to more complex words; and aids him or her in becoming a confident, independent…

The concept of writing as process has revolutionized the way many view composition, and this book is organized by the stages of that process. Each section begins with a well-known author presenting specific techniques, followed by commentaries which include testimonials, applications of writing techniques, and descriptions of strategy…

The purpose of this "Written Language Developmental Continuum" brochure for preschool-second grade is to provide helpful information for parents, teachers, and other adults as they work with young children to advance and refine written language (writing) competence. The brochure is intended to be a useful tool for assessing children's…

This study investigated the impact of word processing on middle school students. The study involved a high, middle, and low academic ability student, each spending an average of 114 minutes on the computer per week over four months. Data collection consisted of questionnaires, interviews, observations, and students' work. Each student answered…

The Institute for Standards, Curricula, and Assessments (ISCA) of the United Teachers Los Angeles Educational Foundation has instituted a lesson study process and support system for teachers that enables them to develop high-quality, standards-based curricula and assessments. This Handbook represents the teachers' best thinking at this time. It is…

The writing performance standard descriptors in this paper support the sections of the English/Language Arts Content Standards adopted by the Alaska State Board of Education. It begins with listing competencies associated with speaking and writing well for a variety of purposes and audiences; and thinking logically and reflectively. It then…

Grounded in the premise that students can learn about the world, nurture the impulse to care about others, and still meet required educational standards, this book outlines a middle school curriculum in which students can learn to identify with, investigate, and then act on social issues. It offers teachers the following resources: an extended…