Describes how one biology instructor utilizes freewriting and expressive writing activities as part of his daily lessons. Argues that such a method has increased student interest and productivity and has engaged the teacher more solidly into the content of the course. (HB)

Describes the various "affective filters" that inhibit basic writers from learning to write. Suggests principles for avoiding such inhibitions among basic writers. Claims that such principles are an effective way of fostering writing development among basic writers. (HB)

Four different vocabulary lists based on the study of children's writing were consulted to generate a basic spelling list of 850 words. The Basic Spelling Vocabulary List provides words that children most often use when writing and that are important in beginning reading instruction. (SM)

Considers the role of high school English teachers as preparing students to do college writing. Discusses and challenges the dichotomy of academic versus personal or expressive writing. Argues that writing instruction must assume that student writing skills mature through the assignment of a variety of writing tasks. (HB)

Follows six non-native-speaker college students through an authentic essay-writing task. Finds that note-taking behaviors facilitated learning from text, but that depth of processing and the students' self-positioning in the discourse community were more important than their were overt behaviors. Concludes that students' notes were useful as a…

Relates a student's experience writing a college application essay. Argues that switching topics should be redefined as global revision, a "pregnant pause" providing evidence of recursivity, and that adolescent writers who talk about their emerging texts are more likely to reconceptualize their written documents. (SR)

Using pre- and post-tests, parent surveys, and student interviews, an Illinois kindergarten teacher examined the effects of authentic literacy experiences on her students' reading and writing activity levels, perceptions about literacy, and emergent literacy skills. Students responded positively to hands-on literacy experiences. Sample checklists…

Describes an exercise to help advanced English-as-a-Second-Language students learn to edit their writing and stick to word limits. The paper explains how to set the word-limit parameters (limiting writing to 100 words), encourage self-editing, define the criteria of the assignment at the outset, and build a layering process. (SM)

Discusses current widely accepted principles of second-language writing for children and adolescents. These principles focus on the following: early writing, taking risks, the craft of writing, variety of purposes, reading to write, choice, native-language writing ability. (Author/VWL)

A guide to faculty writing for publication recommends that authors know their audience, find an appropriate publisher, follow an appropriate style manual, use an appealing writing style, establish a writing routine, not make multiple submissions, follow the revise-and-resubmit response, understand the selection, editing, and publication processes,…

Describes the ramifications of developing a Year 10 Literacy Certificate of Achievement whereby teachers from all curriculum areas were led to pay closer attention to both the amount and types of literacy-based work that they assigned. Appends a list of eight criteria and explanations of what it means to be "progressing" or…

Presents a study that asked business professionals and business faculty to critique and evaluate a set of writing samples. Analyzes results from the two groups. Finds that both groups emphasize organization, but professionals also emphasize wording/style, content, and sentence structure more than do faculty, who emphasize conciseness,…

Examines the effect of the Paideia Seminar writing programs on state writing test scores for one North Carolina middle school. Discusses the role and purpose of the Paideia Seminar and its implementation at the school, and subsequent changes in writing test scores. (JPB)

Discusses the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, explaining how to use it to enhance reading and writing instruction. The article presents a brief interview with J.K. Rowling, a Harry Potter time line, and ideas for working on writing and editing paragraphs, creating dynamic dialogue, and fixing grammar and punctuation. Other fantasy books are…

This article presents and discusses an informal tool, the Idea Development Instrument, for teachers to use with students with learning disabilities to guide writing instruction, to evaluate writing samples, and to provide specific feedback in the area of idea development in written compositions. The assessment instrument is appended. (Contains…