Presents an edited transcript of a panel discussion entitled "Educating the Imagination" held to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of Teachers and Writers Collaborative. Discusses fabulous lies in folk tales, definitions of "imagination," the role of the teacher, using slides of artwork to motivate students to write, and playwriting. (SR)

Discusses how teachers can intervene to help elementary students make thoughtful decisions about their writing topics, noting that advocating student choice does not mean abdicating the role as classroom manager. The article describes choices that writers make and explains how to handle difficult situations. (SM)

Examines how technology can support elementary school writer's workshops, noting the nature of the writer's workshop and exploring how word processing and desktop publishing programs can help nurture developing writers. The article presents several ways teachers can use computers in writer's workshops (drafting and revising, writing mechanics,…

Presents preliminary findings of a study of the language practices of two undergraduate asynchronous English conferences. Examines briefly the roles of the teachers in the conferences. Suggests what questions must be addressed if teachers are to create learning environments to support students. (RS)

Describes a "shared literacy activity" program in which parents and teachers work together to educate children one morning per week. Discusses regular and special activities. (RS)

This article is a chapter from a book titled "Rock Writing," which emphasizes writing skills for gifted students. It focuses on consumer education with examples from language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. Included are quizzes, open-ended problems, puns, advertising euphemisms, comparison pricing exercises, research problems, and…

Examines second-language classroom applications of computerized text analysis by English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writers, suggesting that the Grammatik III disk-based text analyzer may not be a suitable addition to ESL composition pedagogy. (16 references) (Author/CB)

Discusses how science fiction can be used as a part of the reading for students who may not like reading and writing. Details a course for at-risk students involving an independent reading project, an original short story, a group movie project, and a daily journal. (PRA)

This article examines and illustrates four assumptions of the sociocultural perspective for writing instruction of students with learning disabilities: writing is a holistic cognitive activity; cognitive processes are learned in dialogic interactions with others; cognitive development occurs in students' zones of proximal development; and…

Reviews the literature of the "Writing across the Curriculum" (WAC) movement and suggests ways for libraries to become involved. It is argued that WAC programs transfer the responsibility for teaching writing from the English department to all academic programs; curriculum-related writing assignments potentially involve library research; and…

Reviews the literature on grammar instruction in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes, highlighting the concerns of ESL students in communicating ideas in written English and the way in which overconcern with grammatical precision can impede the flow of ideas. Concludes that contextualization is the most effective pedagogy. (DMM)

Narrates one teacher's move from high school to eighth-grade English. Describes a method for teaching middle school students how to write collaboratively. Provides details of writing assignments, units, and techniques successfully utilized, including publishing a teenage magazine. (HB)

The historical bases for "text appropriation" in native English speaker (NES) and English-as-a-Second-Language writing classrooms are reviewed, along with the effect of the exclusion of the social context in writing. Suggestions are offered for encouraging teachers to use their roles as writing experts and cultural informants to empower students…

Jones suggests that Johns' article recommending extensive use of real or authentic audiences in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) or English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) writing has pushed the value of authenticity too far. Johns' notes basic disagreement about some of the things ESL/EFL teachers can and should do and recommends a collaborative,…

The functions of oral language in university English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) composition classes are explored using a case study of instructional discourse in five ESL writing classes. Findings indicate relatively little classroom talk developed to topic invention/development or to oral rehearsal of potential written text. Techniques for…