This article discusses preinstructional assessment (PIA) for determining appropriate curricula, particularly oral and written language curricula, for exceptional students. Collection and analysis of oral and written language samples for PIA are described. Ongoing monitoring of progress in the domain is discussed as a means to make instruction…

Suggests ways to help students using Systeme-D, a word processing program for creative writing in French, exploit more of the linguistic features of the program aside from the dictionary section. The importance of Systeme-D for evaluating written work is discussed, and a list of all program categories within the program is provided. (GLR)

Typical learning style patterns; techniques for managing the variety of learning styles which may exist in a classroom; and ways to address various learning styles in reading, writing, math, and science are outlined. Using educational technology to accommodate students' learning styles is also discussed. (IAH)

Dialogue writing samples from 54 sixth grade students in three classrooms were compared with standard narratives written by the same subjects. Results show that children wrote longer stories and enjoyed the sessions more when writing dialogue. Children's reading levels and academic motivation had no affect on this result. (TJH)

Reports the results of a year-long program incorporating intensive journalistic writing into Advanced Placement English courses. Notes that most students who took the course received high scores on the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition test, and that all students in the course improved their writing. (MM)

Describes the author's experiences when incorporating an intensive journalistic writing program into her high school English class. (MM)

Shows how the addition of intensive journalistic writing can enliven the traditional high school English class. (MM)

The paper discusses several strategies for promoting literacy, which teachers can share with parents of exceptional children who are having difficulty learning to read and write. Strategies include: reading aloud to children, modeling reading behavior, writing to and with children, and responding to children's reading and writing. (JDD)

A study investigated the effectiveness of integrating writing instruction in a developmental mathematics course as a means of improving overall student performance. It was found that while adding writing instruction did reduce slightly the amount of time available for mathematics instruction, student performance was also better. (MSE)

Examines the relationship between two preschool program directors' and teachers' beliefs, instructional decisions, and preschool children's conceptions of reading and writing. Results show that preschool children's conceptions of reading and writing reflected the practices of the two programs. (Author/BB)

Describes the author's involvement in starting the Central California Writing Project in 1977. Relates anecdotes told by bilingual teachers about their experiences in bilingual and multicultural education. Observes that illiteracy is often accompanied by a silence that resembles censorship, and that writing (and writing projects) can empower…

Describes how narrative texts can be represented as networks of causally related statements or events and presents empirical evidence that the networks predict performance on reading comprehension. Compares network theory to other theories of discourse comprehension. Suggests implications of causal representations for reading and composition…

A national association of composition teachers is drafting a statement on professional standards and recommendations for writing instructors. The statement addresses teacher autonomy and curricular input, teacher qualifications, class size, temporary part-time vs. full-time employment, compensation, and teaching assistant qualifications. (MSE)

Denies that the paradigm shift in composition pedagogy (process/product), apparent in the rhetoric of many journals, has become a widespread pedagogical reality. Gives first-hand accounts of teaching methods in Canada, Great Britain, and the United States showing that pedagogy continues to be product-oriented. (SR)

Describes 10 changes in writing instruction (including changes in student attitudes toward revision and changes in the peer editing process) that are directly related to the introduction of the computer into the writing process. (MM)