Reports what experienced English teachers believed were the shared characteristics of the reluctant writers they had encountered. Suggests some strategies that may help engage reluctant writers. Shows that reluctant writers have a variety of beliefs about writing and themselves as writers. Suggests that stronger and more direct interventions…

Surveys the degree to which the managerial subjectivity predominates in composition studies, distorting the field's understanding of "materialism" and "critique" to the point that it consistently attempts to offer "solutions" to its "labor problem" without accounting for the historical reality of organized academic labor. Claims that "change" in…

Discusses incorporation of peer feedback check lists in the English-as-a-Second-Language writing classroom. Highlights different types of check lists, including generic and text-specific, and how to use check lists for peer feedback. (Author/VWL)

A range of metaphors composed by gifted elementary children are presented and discussed in terms of what they indicate about their personal worlds, special talents, and emotional insights. The approach to creative writing described in the article also has the potential to assist with the identification of linguistic talent. (Contains references.)…

Reviews some of the theoretical and practical issues and questions that emerge when the focus turns to adults rather than traditional-age students in the writing classroom and in writing research. Looks at the writing process, textbooks, basic writing, technology, learning styles, attitudes, and voice. (TB)

Argues for the use of film in composition classes. Provides a system of inquiry for students that is both dialogic and generative, one that enables them to critique movies and see them not as a repository of ideologies and values but as an apparatus for producing meaning. (TB)

Describes how a community college teacher of an essay-level developmental writing class improved the quality of writing groups in the class. Discusses how she researched writing groups and cooperative learning; developed lesson plans for several class meetings; revised the structure of the groups after observations and feedback from students; and…

A study of three fifth-grade students with learning disabilities examined the effectiveness of a strategy deigned to help them become more reflective when writing opinion essays. Following the instruction, students wrote essays that were longer, provided more support for their premise, and were qualitatively better. (Author/CR)

Discusses ways teachers in Indiana can use performance assessment at every grade level to provide students feedback for effective learning in writing. Reviews teaching strategies to help young learners get a good start in developing writing skills. Discusses ways that teachers can continuously assess student progress and focus instruction to help…

Studies attitudes of 12 middle school teachers and students concerning what makes a teacher good at conducting conferences. Identifies two key themes: the role of text-oriented instructor and of student-oriented nurturer. Notes that teachers considered the role of nurturer as being most important. Discusses aspects of the nurturing role. (SR)

Outlines a method for evaluating the strategy training component in composition textbooks designed for English-as-a-Second-Language and other second and foreign language students. The procedure--a checklist--is described and illustrated through the analysis of three sample chapters from three college level writing textbooks. (Author/VWL)

Examines the relationship between ability grouping of media writing students and their writing competence over time. Finds that students in the different ability groups start the media writing course with a wide gap in mechanical skill level; the gap is eliminated at final exam time. Notes that when students are measured on the same set of skills…

Notes that adapting the text to the audience is only possible when the physical task of writing becomes automatic and the writer is no longer absorbed by it. Describes a quasi-experimental study in which a procedural facilitation strategy is used to promote writing skills among Portuguese students, in particular, the skill of suiting the text to…

Considers if teaching technology is problematic for technical writing instructors. Presents ideas of 64 Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW) members who were queried on their roles as teachers of technical writing in relation to the demands made upon them to also be teachers of technology skills. Concludes with a call for more…

Notes how "The Writers' Zone" project took place in an 11-18 mixed comprehensive school in south-east Essex and involved 16 Year 7 boys identified as having a high level of performance in non-verbal reasoning but low levels of performance in verbal reasoning. Details the structure of the project and evaluates its success in accessing…