Viewing writing as both a form of language learning and an intellectual skill, this book presents essays on how writers acquire trusted inner voices and the roles schools and teachers can play in helping student writers in the learning process. The essays in the book focus on one of three topics: the language of instruction and how response and…

A student-centered noncredit writing course for students of English as a second language, designed to alleviate the problems of diverse class membership, consists of a series of composition assignments with topics determined by class interests and composition length determined by the student. The entire class participates in prewriting activities;…

In Fall 1984, the Library User Education (LUE) coordinator of Jerome Library at Bowling Green State University introduced a library research skills component to a writing course required of all undergraduate students. The component consisted of two parts: a self-guided tour with questions, and basic library research skills guides with worksheets…

In the spring of 1985, the Oregon Department of Education conducted an assessment of eighth graders' writing skills. It was the first statewide assessment to be scored analytically according to six traits: ideas and content, organization and development, style, word choice, syntax/sentence structure, and conventions (grammar, punctuation,…

The approach to writing as a process of problem-solving through experimentation is used in a sentence-expansion technique for college-level remedial English. Students are presented with an uninteresting, two-sentence story that they expand by experimentation, building confidence in their knowledge of appropriate sentence structure and grammar. The…

Focusing on how expert writers in various disciplines convey complex ideas, this paper shows how the techniques used by the mathematician, Clark Kimberling, in various writings can (1) be transferred to other disciplines, (2) show learning taking place, and (3) provide models for students to re-enact learning in all subject areas. The paper…

The IBM Writing to Read program for children in kindergarten and first grade uses computers with voice output and IBM selectric typewriters to encourage writing and hence reading development. A study examined whether increased writing activity without the use of the technology would produce similar gains in reading. A classroom from the IBM…

Thirteen curriculum strands that together constitute a framework for competent writing are detailed in this writing program guide. Each strand discussed begins with a statement of the expected learning outcome called a "program goal" and is further organized in a kindergarten through grade 12 sequence with objectives listed for each grade level.…

The nine articles in this guide discuss the problems involved in teaching writing and offer suggestions for improving writing instruction. The first article presents responses given by educators to a nationwide survey concerning the causes of writing problems, concluding that until recently the biggest problems were untrained teachers and a lack…

Two case studies of students learning to write academic discourse, particularly to maintain cohesion and relevance, are described. The two college students were part of a fourth-year biology class: one was a native English speaker, and the other spoke English as a second language. Both had a good command of spoken English grammar at the sentence…

Cultural influences and the particular language needs of Eskimo children are considered, along with implications for curriculum and instruction. The Eskimos are of a culture and environment where there is little experience with the purpose of literacy and little exposure to reading and writing behavior, linguistic concepts, or language usage.…

This paper is focused on a relatively new emphasis in education research: the nature of academic work contained in the curriculum of elementary and secondary schools, how that work is organized and accomplished in classrooms, and what modifications in academic work are likely to increase student achievement. The paper is divided into two major…

Intended to help writing teachers create a classroom climate where real writing can be inspired, valued, and enjoyed, the WEDGE (Writing Every Day Generates Excellence) manual addresses first the problem of motivating students to communicate in writing, next, finding words and structures appropriate for clarity and eloquence, and finally, the…

Intended to provide South Carolina educators with a tool for curriculum and instructional development that complements the assessment of the state writing objectives, this guide focuses on that part of the curriculum reflected in the state basic writing skills objectives. The various sections in the first part of the guide: (1) discuss the…

A response to a piece of student writing will be most effective if it helps students consciously identify and solve their composing problems, stimulates them to use the response, and helps them to transfer these practiced skills. Furthermore, the response should (1) take place during the process of writing rather than after a piece is completed,…