Along with its companion teacher's guide, this student study text teaches writing skills needed to pass the New York Regents Competency Test (RCT) in Writing, using the computer as an instrument of instruction. The guide is arranged in three sections that match the tasks required on the RCT Writing Test: (1) The Business Letter; (2) The Report;…

A study focused on teaching students to write effectively in time-pressure situations, particularly on essay exams. Thirteen sections of freshman composition (205 students) were divided into two treatment groups. Half of the classes completed the exam-taking unit in a standard freshman text. The other half of the classes worked through an inquiry…

To evaluate the writing abilities of American students, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) asked nationally representative samples of fourth, eighth, and twelfth graders--approximately 20,000 students in all--to perform a variety of informative, persuasive, and narrative writing tasks. In addition, students were asked about the…

Five writing assignments, geared to the content of a community college course on international relations, are presented. The first four assignments deal with specific critical reading skills: (1) distinguishing fact from opinion; (2) analyzing the author's point of view; (3) detecting fallacies; and (4) comparing and contrasting articles which…

A graduate reading course provided students a hands-on experience in using dialog journals with elementary school children to illustrate the value of integrating writing opportunities into reading programs. Every week of the semester reading methods students read, responded, and returned the journals to the cooperating elementary classes. Only…

Schools typically place a high value on the dominant middle-class approach to becoming literate: they expect all children to arrive at school familiar with books and able to discuss stories. However, community use of printed materials varies, resulting in a large number of nonmainstream children deemed at risk for school failure at an early age.…

To improve reading/writing skills in a target group of 10 first-grade students, an intensive writing curriculum was implemented over a period of 10 weeks. The program included numerous strategies to improve beginning skills: using concrete objects for classification; using comic strips to illustrate sequencing; daily practice on correct posture…

A study investigated how young children use the word processor as a tool in their development as writers. Forty children, ages 4 through 7, from a university laboratory school in a small midwestern community, participated in the study. Videotapings and audiotapings during writing events served as the primary means of data collection. These were…

An analysis is provided of a fictitious community college English curriculum, considering curriculum content, entry and exit requirements, justification, and internal and external influences on course development and scheduling. Background information is provided on enrollment trends, ethnic enrollment, English proficiency testing, and course…

This handbook for basic education tutors of mentally handicapped adults offers ideas and examples for developing the skills of speaking, reading, and writing with understanding. Many of the ideas relate particularly to group work, although most can be adapted for use with individual students. The handbook starts by exploring four broad themes--the…

Focusing on variables linking fourth graders' reading comprehension and writing ability, a study investigated the (1) relationship between both free recall and comprehension probe scores in reading and analytical scale scores in writing, (2) effects of reading and writing competence on the production of story grammar categories in writing, (3)…

A case study of writing behavior illustrates the potential rift between writers' awareness of audience perspective and their application of this knowledge. Twelve students (four each, aged 9, 13, and 18) in the San Diego, California, school system were asked by their teacher to write two letters about memorable places they had visited--one to a…

The articles in this journal issue explore the current status of writing instruction and scholarship. The titles of the articles and their authors are as follows: (1) "The Writing 'Crisis': What It Is and What It Ain't" (Rexford Brown); (2) "Freshman English Then and Now: A Report on Student Writing" (James DeMuth and Stephanie…

As part of a study conducted by the Learning Assessment Retention Consortium to develop a student outcomes evaluation model, data were collected on the characteristics and skill levels of 7,500 remedial writing students from 29 community colleges in Fall 1986. Three methods of data collection were used: pre-testing of reading comprehension,…

The writing objectives and the measurement specifications presented in this document are congruent with the Texas State Board of Education Rules for Curriculum. The objectives are provided for teachers and for test developers involved with the preparation of the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) tests. As of 1985-86 academic…