Described are over 100 activities designed to improve students' reading and writing skills by using the environment as a stimulus. The school, local community, family, and inner self serve as lesson topics. Learning strategies include word games, poetry, art projects, peer-produced mini-texts, and gardening. Also used are a word builder booklet…

Eight teachers in two-year and four-year colleges discuss in this book their effective methods of teaching writing based on the process of composing. The articles deal with the following topics: (1) the constant interaction of collecting, connecting, writing, and reading in the process of making meaning on paper; (2) the integration of prose…

The main intentions of the two-day teachers' conference on language disabilities held at East Carolina University were to provide background information on how children acquire linguistic habits, to identify and suggest remedies for certain socioemotional problems which interfere with learning, to isolate problems arising from diversity in…

Compositions of 1000 words were collected from 32 eighth-graders and 32 twelfth-graders in Manitowac, Wisconsin. In each grade, 16 males and 16 females were equally distributed into two ability groups based on IQ. Data from the writing samples were analyzed with an analysis of variance in which the factors were grade, sex, and ability level. The…

In contrast to language-teaching systems which stress conversation, this system for teaching Arabic starts by presenting the written language. One reason for doing so is that knowing how to write Arabic characters helps students to remember the unfamiliar sounds of this language. A computer-assisted instruction (CAI) program was felt to be more…

A series of games and classroom activities incorporating art and writing and designed to link second language reading to the development of writing skills is described. (MSE)

Argues that common processes underlie reading and writing and offers a case study of two students' experiences with reading and writing processes. Contains lessons built upon these commonalities. (FL)

Claims that keeping a journal provides (1) good writing practice, (2) an opportunity to experiment with various aspects of writing, and (3) a chance for self expression. Discusses three types of journal writing: professional (for teachers) and dialogue and personal (for children). Suggests guidelines in journal writing as a school policy and for…

Defines desktop publishing, describes microcomputer developments and software tools that make it possible, and discusses its use as an instructional tool to improve writing skills. Reasons why students' work should be published, examples of what to publish, and types of software and hardware to facilitate publishing are reviewed. (MBR)

Presents a hyperbolic scenario in which a ruthless writing teacher overlooks her young students' progress in other areas of writing and admonishes them because their penmanship is poor. (AEW)

Discusses findings of a survey of 1,021 college English students about personal habits associated with the composing process. Reports many students use or used marijuana (36 percent) and alcohol (49 percent) while composing their papers, and that similarly high numbers compose while listening to music or watching TV. Suggests students should learn…

Proposes an integrated approach to teaching mechanics that focuses on literature and writing to maintain student interest, but incorporates enough mechanics to eliminate isolated skill lessons. Illustrates the method with an imaginary class discussion of wording in a seventh grader's short story that prompts revision of spelling and diction. (JG)

Offers a strategy for having composition students write a clear, complete set of instructions for performing some task, while eliminating the possibility for plagiarism and collaboration. (JC)

Compares the rhetorical strategies of 20 opening paragraphs from "Psychology Today" to those in 20 first paragraphs from student essays. Observes that professionals regularly begin exposition with narratives, indirection, and irony, while students begin with rhetorical questions, truisms, and muddled strategies. Concludes that students'…

Suggests using writing to enhance students' learning of content material because a positive environment that encourages writing allows students to explore, analyze, and synthesize what they are learning in a content classroom. Enumerates principles for facilitating comprehension and recommends using a guided writing procedure. (SKC)