This report describes a program for improving writing skills and related attitudes towards writing of elementary students. The target population consisted of fourth grade students in stable middle to upper class suburban communities, located northwest of a large midwestern city. The problems of inadequate writing skills and poor writing attitudes…

This brochure offers parents tips on helping their children connect writing with reading. It begins by noting that preschool children often want to scribble on paper, scribbles which sometimes represent a story. It suggests making space in the home for literacy, and encouraging early efforts. The brochure then offers four brief activities for…

The Monash University (Australia) Transition to Tertiary Writing Project seeks to produce a World Wide Web-based resource for first-year students to facilitate their transition to the kinds of thinking and writing valued at the university. The background research on which this language and academic skills (LAS) project is based centers on three…

This book offers 25 mini-lessons which focus on the elements of good writing. Intended for teachers of grades 3-6, the book provides practical teaching suggestions to introduce particular elements and strategies, as well as activities that will allow students to practice new techniques. Using excerpts from favorite children's authors' works and…

The role of the literature review in a research project is discussed, in the context of classroom research on language teaching. The discussion is intended for teachers undertaking such research with little or no experience, and offers step-by-step guidelines for conducting and using a review of literature in second language learning. First,…

Marking "Writer's Digest"'s upcoming 75th anniversary, this book presents a collection of the best writing instruction, advice, and inspiration written by famous and not-so-famous writers and published in the magazine from the 1920s to the 1990s. The 49 selections in the book are arranged chronologically and address: (1) selecting an…

Current articles on the power and influence of children's literature on primary children's literacy development and achievement were reviewed. Research indicates that literature has a positive effect on the academic achievement of children and that literacy skills are essential components of academic success. Children who have been exposed to…

This paper presents a matrix that represents the scope and sequence of the written communication portion of the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum language arts component. It lists 50 key skills in written communication (such as uses dictionaries, locates information using reference sources, uses various sources for information, develops a simple…

Redesigned to reflect a more standards-driven as opposed to course-driven approach, the Applied Literature and Composition courses (I and II) described in this paper not only prepare the two-year college/technical school students for entering the real world of work, but also for post-secondary and college level work. It notes that the course is…

There is evidence of the pedagogical effectiveness of online teaching and the teaching styles that work best with it. However, few studies have looked at the specific pedagogical approaches in relation to specific learning variables such as cognitive components, motivational components, and social components, and the online teaching features that…

The purpose of this study was to investigate student responses to a developmental writing instructor's feedback on their writing assignments in college-preparatory writing courses at a community college. Using observation, analysis of teacher responses on a writing assignment, surveys, and interviews, the research investigated how students…

These 10 fliers focus on strategies to improve students' writing. The fliers are: (1) Improving Writing (covers general points related to all types of writing); (2) Writing Narrative (covers the main points to writing narrative, helping children to build up a repertoire of different types of narrative); (3) Writing Poetry (covers the main points…

This article discusses ways that the instruction of literature might be altered in undergraduate language and literature courses alike. It considers a broad spectrum of possibilities that may inspire different attitudes about the use of literature in foreign language classes at all levels, discussing how students can learn to analyze the ways that…

Offering developmental students comprehensive, step-by-step instruction for writing expressive, informative, and persuasive essays, this book showcases the writing process and presents a wide variety of engaging assignments. It strengthens students' reading, thinking, and writing skills; validates their diverse and unique cultural experiences; and…

Written for students in grades 3 and up, this book helps students write or present a report that will make a lasting impression. It offers detailed information on choosing interesting topics, using resources, taking effective notes, creating outlines, writing paragraphs, revising and editing, and publishing or presenting a report flawlessly.…