Presents guidelines for introducing, managing, and responding to dialogue journals with English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and other students. Suggests that dialogue journals in reading and writing instruction provide a purposeful activity in which students communicate their thoughts and feelings. (MG)

Reviews research (1) concerning the use of word processors in improving children's writing; (2) students' attitudes toward writing; and (3) how improvements in writing are measured. Notes that current research should not be accepted at face value. Argues that teachers should seek ways in which the availability of word processors can help students…

Reviews the history of writing across the curriculum programs and examines two instructional orientations, the general writing approach, which views writing as a unique tool for consolidating learning; and the discipline-specific approach, which focuses on the function or social purposes for writing. (DMM)

Uses Clark and Trow's schema for differentiating collegiate, vocational, academic, and nonconformist peer cultures to classify basic writers' areas of commitment and attachment. Suggests ways that students can be grouped to work at translating non-Standard English so that it can be better understood by other cultures. (DMM)

Considers the metaphors used to reflect on and guide literacy teaching and learning in the early years. Offers a critical examination of scaffolding, currently a very popular metaphor. Argues that this concept alone cannot capture the challenge of responding to the diversity of young children's intentions in literacy activities. Suggests a…

Discusses experiences with preservice teachers and models for writing instruction. Describes a tutorial component which shows that preservice teachers can change their teaching practices but at a rate and in a sequence determined by their beliefs about, attitudes toward, and experiences as writers and writing teachers. (MG)

Studies 110 sixth grade students to determine whether the writing of persuasive discourse can be improved by instruction and the effect of reading on writing and of writing on reading within the mode of persuasion. Finds that ability to write persuasion can be improved by instruction and that students transferred knowledge from reading to writing.…

Explores the themes of diversity and choice as they relate to the teaching of English at all levels. Contrasts the open-mindedness of English teachers with nationalist and traditionalist agents in government. Describes a conflict over Key Stage 3 testing in Great Britain as exemplifying this clash. (HB)

Considers the educational views espoused by the Centre for Policy Studies of Great Britain as revealed in recent publications. Examines the strategies used by this group to block meaningful dialog. Argues for a more comprehensive concept of English instruction, and outlines such an agenda. (HB)

Describes a writing-across-the-curriculum course and its application to science courses. Shows how different kinds of writing instruction affect students' learning as well as students' attitudes, understandings, and approach to "writing to learn." (PR)

This poetry activity helps K-3 teachers increase students' enthusiasm for reading by highlighting personal interests. Students read a baseball poem, discuss the wording, examine how it conveys action, and look for key words. The next day, they read the poem again and write about favorite activities of their own. The baseball poem is attached. (SM)

Suggests an approach to compositions that addresses the special character of intermediate foreign-language writing through process assignments that involve strategic corrections and a series of interrelated, in-class writing activities, including expansion exercises intended for use during the revision period. This essay design also coordinates…

Describes a project that introduced eighth graders to a wide range of classics (including Aesop, Confucius, Ovid, and Jean de La Fontaine). Shows how the author used these works to inspire the kids to write their own poems and stories. (SR)

Compares the learning and writing experiences of a child during his kindergarten year (with frequent immersion in reading and writing activities in their writing workshop) to his first-grade year (with worksheets and decontextualized exercises). Critically examines such "serious" literacy learning that lacks a real audience and a real…

Identifies and describes the genres that a group of tertiary level English-as-a-Second-Language students produced during a process writing class in which they were free to decide their own topics, purposes, and audiences. Characteristics of these genres, the relationships among them, and their schematic structures are described. (Author/VWL)