Innovative methods and strategies are described for teaching writing to potentially English proficient (PEP) students (also known as "limited English proficient"), who may or may not be literate in their native language, using holistic natural approaches. The approaches are based on the premise that students acquire language (speaking,…

The paper presented at this conference, the theme of which was "Celebrating Literacy," focused on theories and applications of literature-based education and the use of holistic methods across the curriculum. Following an introduction by the editors, the book contains the following 12 papers: "Windows and Mirrors: Children's Books…

In 1990, Moraine Valley Community College conducted a study of writing centers at community colleges belonging to the League for Innovation in the Community College. The survey was designed to gather information on the staffing, facilities, services, operations, budget, and evaluation of writing centers. Questionnaires were sent to and returned by…

This document consists of six issues of a newsletter that provides a forum for the sharing of research findings and instructional strategies by faculty of Western Michigan University. Issue Number 1 addresses writing in the Writing Across the Curriculum Program with notification of a faculty workshop, hints on how to encourage good writing, and a…

Serving as a guide for teachers interested in implementing a whole language philosophy within their classrooms and as a resource for teachers who have whole language classrooms, this annotated bibliography presents thorough annotations of 12 selected texts published between 1979 and 1992 encouragement and support for the whole language philosophy.…

This casebook is part of a set of materials written by the members of the Making Thinking Visible Project. It offers high school, college, and community college teachers' multiple perspectives on the teaching and learning of collaborative planning, and on classroom inquiry and practice. The casebook explains collaborative planning (a writing…

Emergent and beginning readers demonstrate many predictable behaviors in the kindergarten classroom, yet every child is making sense out of print in his or her own way. The job of the kindergarten teacher is to help each child to continue developing as a reader and writer. Reading and writing materials are accessible and usable throughout a…

Five college writing teachers who consider themselves critically and politically progressive were interviewed to see how much their political views influenced what they did in their composition classes. The comments of the teachers suggest that although they are very sensitive to the students' needs and go out of their way to accept diverse views…

Strange as it may seem, the classroom is not, by and large, accepted within the composition discipline as a scene for genuine knowledge-making and theory-building. Teachers should go back to the "concrete materials" from which knowledge and theory are made. An example of what can be learned in the classroom comes from an effort to…

There are qualities or organizational principles in discourse that determine its information structure and contribute to its communicative dynamism. A "wave" model of discourse analysis shows graphically how each successive item of new information in a text provides a platform for the next new item, or "wave," of information. The model is based on…

This panel discussion document about portfolio evaluation of student writing consists of three presentations from faculty members of Lynchburg College in Virginia, who describe the introduction of a portfolio-assessment system in their writing program. In this system students choose the three papers they want to rewrite for inclusion in their…

To clarify the relevance of Russian psychologist, literary critic, philologist, and educational theorist Lev S. Vygotsky's research to composition theory necessitates an examination of his account of the development of inner and oral speech. Vygotsky argued that the acquisition and development of oral speech is due to its function: it is primarily…

This packet summarizes the ideas, concepts, suggestions, and speculations growing out of a think tank which explored the uncharted region beyond cognitive learning. The packet shows that participants were divided into groups to discuss teaching, research, bibliographic information, theoretical ideas, and professional issues. The packet contains:…

A metacognitive approach to written language instruction was implemented to ameliorate the severe deficits in written language exhibited by five learning-disabled third and fourth graders. The 10-week program contained two basic elements: sustained writing practice, and strategy training for revision of written projects. The sustained writing…

This annotated bibliography describes research on the characteristics of apprehensive writers and on methodology which has been found useful in reducing anxiety and increasing writing achievement. Following an introduction, 27 annotations (dating from 1976 to 1990) are presented. A summary, conclusions, and recommendations follow. A 33-item…