Describes how one teacher worked with a learning-disabled sixth grader, who benefited from the opportunity to write about what he knew and cared about. (SR)

Considers the emergence of teacher research. Discusses the difficulties and benefits teacher research. Provides comments by numerous teachers actively involved in teacher research. (HB)

Describes the way one English teacher used teacher research in her classroom to study writing, literature, her students, and herself. Explains her activities and some of her findings. Advocates teacher research as a natural activity that teachers, either consciously or unconsciously, engage in every day of their professional lives. (HB)

Describes a developmental writing course taught in prison. Describes how the teaching styles took into account the presumed learning preferences of the African Americans in this group of inmates and resulted in a boost of both their self-confidence and the level of their writing. (SR)

Argues that English teachers must rediscover and subsequently utilize an interdisciplinary approach to reform the schools. Explores two implications for interdisciplinary study growing from a holistic, process-centered approach to English studies. Suggests that English should become the leader in an interdisciplinary future. (HB)

Illustrates the development of new roles for university faculty and classrooms. Describes a year-long book club project in which teachers and university collaborators accepted multiple and changing roles. Outlines research tracking the book club program. Clarifies the benefits of such collaborative efforts. (HB)

Argues that the notion of writing as the expression of a fixed and unified individual identity is inappropriate for the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) student. Suggests that composition teachers recognize that writing in English engages the nonnative speaker in a dialectic of identity and difference and promote this difference rather than…

Describes a simple introductory in-class writing assignment that serves to clarify the multiple issues involve in effective letter writing of the persuasive type. Examines the diagnostic value, the lesson learned, and objectives served by such an assignment. (KEH)

A group of Ohio teachers of deaf students received in-depth training in the use of whole-language strategies, focusing first on writing strategies, followed by reading instruction and integration of reading and writing. The training plan involved group instruction, reading materials, observations, individual conferences, teacher-trainer dialogue…

Student-created "reading and writing books" are described as a technique for motivating beginning readers. Writing and illustrating their own books can help elementary-age students build vocabulary, learn word recognition, improve reading skills, and become familiar with sentence structures. Several book topics are suggested. (JDD)

Studies the strength of writers' memories for their texts immediately after writing and the degree to which this remembrance endures over time. Demonstrates that students do remember much of the texts they write and may have difficulty making changes. Urges instructors to use techniques that allow writers to focus on reprocessing strategies beyond…

Outlines an assignment in which a teacher used portfolios as the basis for a final examination to give students a chance to assess their own writing and their progress. Discusses the success of the assignment and the teacher's surprise at the students' insight into their own strengths and weaknesses. (PRA)

Asserts that writing must have as honored a place in the first grade curriculum as reading. Discusses the need for computers in writing labs, word processing in first grade, cooperative learning, staff development, and holistic projects and assessment. Describes the implementation of these ideas in Los Altos, California. (PRA)

This article offers suggestions for use of videocassettes in special education classrooms in ways which enhance reading and writing skills. Stressed is actively involving students through such strategies as use of graphic organizers, notetaking, and questions. Sources of videocassettes are identified. (DB)

Describes an activity that was an enjoyable and successful way to involve the community in day-to-day classroom instruction within the context of the regular school curriculum. Shares how a storyteller from a local bookstore shared stories with students and motivated them to write original versions of fairy tales. (MG)