A method of teaching English syntax to non-native speakers concentrates on the use of visuals and other audiovisual materials. Traditional methods of English instruction have not been successful with immigrant children and examples of alternative approaches are suggested. (RL)

In teaching students to write for an audience, teachers should stress the meaning and purpose of the composition over rhetorical correctness and should emphasize style as well as content. Four teaching approaches through which students may establish and communicate their purposes are (1) "immediate feedback," in which teachers motivate pupils…

Examining student reactions to teachers' comments on themes, this study aimed to determine the effects of various combinations of reinforcement upon three dependent variables: (1) student perception of comments as positive or negative, (2) student satisfaction with comments, and (3) student confidence in writing ability. Six intermediate and…

A language arts program for Navajo children is presented in this curriculum guide based on needs outlined in the Bureau of Indian Affairs' publication "Curriculum Needs of Navajo Pupils." The program should provide each Navajo pupil with an opportunity to acquire a basic mastery of the English language in order to integrate his own…

The major objective of this study was to determine the effect on academic performance of the 12th year English background of students in college freshman composition. Student survey forms were given to 415 students enrolled in their first college English course in order to assess their past writing experiences, and questionnaires were sent to…

The effectiveness of using workbooks to teach eighth-grade English grammar was measured in a study of 160 students in four north-central Texas junior high schools. The experimental group, which used the American Book Company workbook, "Our Language Today," was equated on the basis of sex, intelligence, and previous grades in English with the…

The identification and study of 20 syntactical patterns responsible for much of the structural ambiguity found in literary composition can develop in students an audience awareness. When they realize that such constructions as "a dull boy's knife" and "the club will be open to members from Monday to Thursday" can be misinterpreted, they take more…

The hypothesis that students taught written composition by television would achieve as well as students taught in conventional classrooms in terms of writing samples was tested in this study. Members of an experimental group of 130 students at Oregon State University were matched with students in a control group according to comparable writing…

The purpose of the Central Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory (CAREL) literature program was to encourage pupils' imaginative and expressive power and to improve their ability to use language effectively. The curriculum was designed for 3- to 8-year-olds who represented a wide socioeconomic background. Specialists trained teachers to relate…

Focusing on literature, language, and composition as related components of the total literature-centered English program, this curriculum guide emphasizes the skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Each of the four sections--developmental reading, composition, language, and literature--provides guide points or discussion on five…

The speeches in this collection on English instruction are by (1) Walker Gibson, who discusses the teaching of responsibility to the young by making them responsible for clear writing; (2) Hart D. Leavitt, who describes the ways in which many possible subjects for composition can be seen in the collection of pictures, "Stop, Look, and Write"; (3)…

The purpose of this study was to describe, analyze, and compare the original writings of two fourth-grade classes. Selected aspects of content and structure were used to determine the effects of an integrated and individualized approach to the teaching of the language arts by the same teacher. The data were collected over a 2-year period. The…

A 9-week experimental course for 10th-grade students used popular song lyrics, related literature, and explicative material as a means of interesting teenagers in literature and bridging the gap between the adolescent's subcultural world and the teacher of literature. Two classes received one complete lesson per week of song lyrics and related…

With the belief that the sense of confusion prevalent among secondary school composition teachers arises from the lack of a unifying theoretical construct within which they can teach, a theory of the art of writing was devised, based on James L. Kinneavy's "Theory of Discourse" which offers a unifying description of the relationships among…

Five factors should be considered in understanding the value of children's literature in the elementary school curriculum, as both an aesthetic and utilitarian experience. Children's literature is significant (1) as an information supplement in science, art, social studies, mathematics, and other curriculum subjects; (2) as a vital part of the…