Describes the second-year French program at the University of California, Berkeley, which attempts to bridge the gap between intermediate language courses and upper-division writing courses by incorporating such strategies as semantic mapping to promote higher-level thinking, help students to organize their writing, and foster the development of…

Asserts that role-playing peer-response groups provide effective feedback and help students develop a sense of the characteristics of a particular audience. Illustrates with a sample lesson (a college application essay) by outlining five steps of the process. Offers other uses of the role-playing peer-response groups method. (PRA)

Provides an update and expansion of an earlier "Delphi Study" which predicted changes that might occur resulting from the impact of technology on the teaching of writing. Provides comments based on recent research. Discusses two books that focus specifically on technology and writing. (MG)

Asserts that autobiographical writing empowers community college students to create public voices and meet personal and professional goals while enlightening instructors about the effectiveness of teaching methods. Discusses journal writing as self-teaching, student responses to existing autobiographical models, the influence of peer audience on…

Contains a vignette of a second grade classroom in which a whole language approach is used to teach reading and writing. Defines and describes whole language theory, practice, and goals. Offers guidelines to facilitate the process of changing from the basal to the holistic approach. (PRA)

Details strategies for applying writing research and theories to the college basic writing classroom. Encourages instruction focusing on the complete writing process and on meaning rather than linguistic structure. Offers guidelines for creating a process-centered classroom and holding effective writing conferences with students. (PAA)

Examines research on the causes of writing apprehension. Profiles high-apprehensive writers, characterizes their written products, and describes their writing processes. Suggests four procedures for dealing with writing apprehension: peer group workshops; positive reinforcement; teaching about writing process, and gradually increasing students'…

Describes use in Appalachia of "Writing to Read," IBM-developed computer-assisted phonetic literacy program for first graders. Describes program's premise, history, and technology. Program uses phonetics, emphasizing student expression over spelling and punctuation. Describes establishment and use of literacy laboratories in West…

Describes a three-week section of a business communication course on the strategies of crisis communication. Provides background on the emergence of the field, a summary of several notable case studies for possible consideration, and suggestions on how crisis communication can be successfully integrated into the business communication curriculum.…

Discusses how workshops for young authors help to cement the reading-writing connection for students and build their motivation and enthusiasm. Provides a step-by-step outline for educators who are interested in planning and implementing a young author's conference. (MG)

Examines the effects of teachers' relationships with at-risk students and the curriculum and instructional methods used to teach them to read and write. Presents an instructional approach that alters the way at-risk students are taught. (MG)

Reviews two recent professional publications concerning alternative assessment: "Portfolio Assessment in the Reading-Writing Classroom" and "Assessment and Evaluation in Whole Language Programs." (MG)

Describes the methods of two teachers who placed students in collaborative writing groups and asked students to assess their writing groups in personnel assessment memos to the instructors. Examines selected examples of these memos with regard to collaborative processes and the skills used most frequently by students. (HB)

Compares traditional instruction in poetry with collaborative learning in poetry with grade-three students. Finds that the collaborative learning strategy led students to more mature responses to poetry than the teacher-directed strategy. (RS)

Describes the Navajo reservation in Arizona, its inhabitants, and the inservice workshop given there by consultants of the National Writing Project. Relates personal anecdotes. Claims that life and education on the reservation are much like they are everywhere else. (HB)