A planned sequence of general studies at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, entitled "The Link," is described. The Link addresses problems that were identified in three recent major studies of the college curriculum. Quotations from these national studies are included under seven categories of problems. Approaches to solving these problems…

The Connecticut Statewide Basic Skills Proficiency Test is required for all ninth-grade students in Connecticut public schools, vocational-technical schools, and endowed or incorporated high schools and academies. The examination covers basic reading, language arts and mathematics skills. Students who score below the level of expected performance…

In addressing selected aspects of the language arts from the context of an integrative language paradigm, this paper focuses on the results of three studies recently completed in Manitoba, which help to shed some light on three modes of expression--dictation, independent writing, and retelling--in the primary grades. The first part of the paper…

Drawing on the experiences of teachers of writing in elementary through junior high schools, the teaching strategies presented in this collection are grouped into four sections: prewriting, drafting, editing and publishing, and systems. Topics covered in the prewriting section include listening skills; thinking, speaking, and writing;…

A theory of interpretation developed from the composition scholar's reading and revision of literary theory can effectively serve as a core theory in writing across the curriculum programs. For example, recent composition theory, with its emphasis on close study of students' texts and the process of their writing, provides the writing teacher with…

The New York Regents Competency Testing Program has been designed to assure that all students develop adequate skills in reading comprehension, writing, and mathematics before graduation from high school. In this booklet, information is provided on two elements of the Regents Competency Testing Program: diploma standards and screening tests.…

This directory is designed to serve as a resource guide for vocational educators who need additional instructional material in the teaching of communications or vocationally oriented communications in their classes. The user guide explains the organization and use of the manual. The Communications Resource Materials section is divided into topic…

The teaching activities presented in this compilation of columns from the journal "Live Wire" focus on integrating the arts with language. The selections describe (1) the concept of "framing" in art and in writing; (2) using folktale pantomimes as inspirations for writing; (3) using literature response sheets (samples included) to respond to the…

This course outline describes English 100, a diagnostic and placement course in freshmen composition implemented in 1975 at Parkland Community College, Champaign, Illinois. It is a two-week course required of every Parkland student entering the writing program at the level of English 099 or above and leads to one of three composition courses. Its…

The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive summary of current information on describing writing and measuring growth in writing, intended to help teachers decide which aspects of the process and the product to examine, how to determine a writer's specific instructional needs, how to measure growth in writing ability, and how to involve…

A community college teacher, knowledgeable in composition and reading, worked with content area colleagues on reading and writing ideas for their courses. His "missionary work" included talking to colleagues, demonstrating teaching methods in their classrooms, and writing course materials for them. His main problems involved difficulties in…

To determine if there are significant differences between the first-semester freshman composition grading standards of public two-year and four-year institutions in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a composition instrument was mailed to 120 freshman composition directors from two-year and four-year member institutions. The…

Because of open admissions policies at the college level, college English teachers are faced with increasing numbers of students whose writing skills are well below desired standards. This journal, addressed to the concerns of teachers who want to help such students, attempts in this issue to point out ways in which English teachers can examine…

The articles in this journal focus on the teaching of composition at the secondary and college levels. Separate articles deal with the causes of poor proofreading by students and methods for teaching proofreading skills; the use of folklore as an aid to teaching composition; techniques for overcoming students' fear of failure in the writing…

This paper describes a freshman composition course that is taught through the use of sports literature. The first part of the paper considers the merits of a literature-based composition course, the value of a topic-oriented approach to writing, and the benefits of reading and writing about sports. The second section discusses sequential course…