Use of instructor-mediated student journals in college courses helps students overcome fear of writing, enhances critical thinking, and raises the level of student discourse within the discipline. The approach differs from conventional journals in that the teacher provides active guidance, in class, concerning writing process and technique. (MSE)

In response to national concern over declining standards in students' writing abilities, an increasing number of schools have adopted the use of word processors in an effort to increase literacy skills. The instructional effectiveness of word processors in 20 second-grade students was analyzed and it was found that computers facilitate improvement…

Discusses the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in education and summarizes three studies that demonstrated the positive effect of electronic networking on elementary and secondary students' reading and writing skills and their interest in meaningful educational activities. Highlights include knowledge construction; collaborative…

Primary school teachers can encourage and support the desire to read in less-advantaged children by reading to them and talking with them on a regular basis, having them read simple declaratory sentences, playing word games with them, and allowing the children to experience as many types of reading and writing activities as possible. (MDM)

Describes a variety of software programs appropriate for whole-language learning. The software allows elementary students to make picture books and create posters, banners, greeting cards, puzzles, and minimovies and to do group writing activities. Also included is information on resources and computer reading packages. (SM)

The article describes what electronic books are, notes how easy they are to use, and explains why teachers might consider using electronic books to motivate their students in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. (SM)

This review of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test--Revised (often used with learning-disabled students) notes the addition of a Written Expression subtest, replacement of most items to reflect current curricular content, and use of updated norms. The test also measures: general information, reading recognition, reading comprehension,…

Presents a review of cognitive psychology research dealing with the organization and functioning of oral and written language production mechanisms. Discusses works dealing with the microstructural aspects of language, primarily oral production. Describes how the research perspective has evolved from modular to connectionist models. Examines the…

Presents results of a study in which subjects produced narratives with the help of a computer. Discusses control processes, correction of wrong choices, and coherence of narrative. Concludes that expert functioning is the result of the acquisition of the narrative structure and the processes involved and is highly related to metacognitive…

Obtained and scored argumentative writing samples of fourth, sixth, tenth, and twelfth grade students. Found significant grade level differences in writing samples scored according to Toulmin's model of argument and a holistic scoring procedure. Few children in any grade used features of opposition or response to opposition in written arguments.…

Discusses a college instructor's experimentation with portfolios in the writing class. Notes that, after the first year, students' writing had not improved--they still wrote as if the teacher were the only audience. Describes changes made (having students generate their own topics, reading each other's writing, and publishing students' writing)…

Suggestions for helping students learn to write in a foreign language are offered. Areas for the teacher to consider include recognizing students' basic needs, rewarding risks that students take, listening for content before correcting, introducing vocabulary and usage, and writing with the students. (12 references) (LB)

Suggests three ways to foster writing skills in preschool and primary school children: encourage language development; set up a writing center; and teach children to have fun with words. Offers instructions for writing projects, including making picture dictionaries, talking with pictures, writing outdoors, composing silly sentences, keeping…

A survey of 174 policymakers, employers, and college faculty attempted to identify the writing skills college graduates need to be effective citizens and productive employees. Areas of consensus are identified for the following areas: audience awareness; purpose for writing; prewriting activities; organization; drafting; collaborating; and…

Reviews four specific prewriting activities designed to foster prewriting and avoid premature drafting on the computer: freewriting, electronic journal-keeping, idea-generation, and online "conversations." Provides hints for developing lesson files, reviews current prewriting and hypertext software, and provides tips on selecting software. (14…