Noting that portfolios contain the students' best efforts at writing and mathematics problem-solving skills, this pamphlet discusses issues surrounding Vermont's portfolio assessment program from the parent's point of view. The pamphlet discusses reasons to use portfolios, how portfolios differ from traditional ways of looking at students' writing…

The percentage of students who speak and write English as a Second Language (ESL) is steadily increasing on all college campuses. Although only 8% of the student body at the Pennsylvania State University are ESL students, 15% of the Penn State Writing Center clientele are ESL students. In the past, the Penn State peer tutor training program has…

Guidelines for Hebrew language proficiency are presented in two companion volumes which are identical except that one gives examples of various linguistic forms in Hebrew and the other provides them in Roman script. These guidelines are based on the generic guidelines published in 1986 by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.…

This document is the teacher's edition of a learning module designed to help nonnative English speakers develop basic workplace reading and writing skills. It was developed by educators from the Emily Griffith Opportunity School. The curriculum presented in the module is job specific and intended to serve as an example of how reading and writing…

The growing problem of English mother tongue competence is slowly being recognized by teachers in several disciplines, especially by teachers of translation. In a language degree course such as that at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh, Scotland), which specializes in teaching translating and interpreting, a high standard of mother tongue…

This digest reviews writing assessment--what it means and how it works--at a selected number of colleges and universities in the United States. The digest discusses outcomes assessment, placement testing, placement and the writing process, and end-of-course evaluation. The digest concludes with a brief reminder for college-bound students of what…

This paper shows how changing the learning situations in which psychology students find themselves can affect their motivation to write differently. When students have something to say to someone for some reason, they can learn both content and important lessons about writing. The paper describes a project that involved an introductory college…

This paper is based on the premise that the myth of the "Twice-Born" perpetuated by the high-caste Hindus of ancient India; the metaphors of re-birth, freedom, and light used by new literatures coming out of adult literacy classes; and current socio-biological theories of human evolution all speak to the truly transformational character…

Based on the premise that teachers are the chief condition in the literate classroom, and that one of the most important things children do is to observe the way adults think and learn, this book presents five essays suggesting methods of inviting children into the adult world of reading and writing. After a foreword by Donald Graves and an…

A practicum addressed fifth and sixth graders' deficiencies in writing and comprehension skills with the implementation of diagnostic-prescriptive teaching techniques. The Multi Level Academic Skills Inventory and interest inventories aided in defining students' specific strengths and weaknesses in the areas of reading and language arts. Among the…

Based on the concept that literacy is a family affair, this book presents an annotated list of materials published in the 1980s appropriate for use by organizations and individuals involved in literacy training and for learners seeking materials for their personal needs and enrichment. Each of the over 750 entries includes a bibliographic…

American literature is brought to life for Secondary students (grades 9-12) through this book which presents over 145 ready-to-use, interdisciplinary activities--for use with any American literature curriculum. The activities aim to improve writing skills, encourage critical thinking and literary analysis, and build vocabulary. Flexible enough for…

This report provides outcomes for the 1997-98 Monroe Community College's Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) program, an effort designed to help students learn to write in all disciplines with the help of writing centers staffed by trained student writing fellows. The program focuses on improving the quality of services through renewed efforts to…

This paper examines the ways kindergarten teachers can help improve the writing skills of their students who are hesitant to write. The paper describes a project that modified the physical classroom environment, nurtured the emotional climate, and used other strategies, such as allowing more time to write, modeling functional writing, and valuing…

Encompassing both the practical and the scholarly, this annotated bibliography on public relations aims to provide a window into some of each of the offerings in academic and business journals, as well as in trade and professional journals published in 1997. The introduction notes that many entries in the bibliography deal with the Internet, the…