This research examined whether collaborative hypermedia systems could improve upon results achieved in traditional collaborative and individual learning environments without a computer. The students did not feel positively disposed to sharing their ideas and work with their peers; the group experience did not improve the quality of individual…

Explores the implications of requirements in England's National Curriculum for English to develop students' ability to write standard English. Examines the use of nonstandard dialect grammar in students' writing. Finds that similar dialectical constructs are used in four regions and that they are used more frequently in speech than in writing.…

Outlines an introductory public relations writing course. Presents course topics and objectives, and assignments designed to meet them. Provides a sample grading rubric and evaluates major public relations writing textbooks. Discusses learning and assessment strategies. (SR)

This study explores whether online peer review can be a worthwhile alternative to face-to-face peer review. It was conducted in two pre-college English-as-a-Second-Language writing classes at a community college to examine students' responses in both modes of peer review, and to see whether online peer review could become a viable option.…

This article presents six principles designed to prevent writing difficulties as well as to build writing skills: providing effective writing instruction, tailoring instruction to meet the individual needs, intervening early, expecting that each child will learn to write, identifying and addressing roadblocks to writing, and employing…

Summarizes five important studies that teachers should be aware of, which offer direction about how grammar should or should not be taught. Summarizes useful theory as well, concluding that the teaching of grammar in the language arts classroom must happen within the context of larger lessons and experiences with written and spoken language. (SR)

Reports the findings of a small-scale study assessing whether students revise essays more effectively when given written diagnoses that identify textual flaws and prescriptive comments, compared with a group of control students who received only directions stating that flaws were present. Concludes that while both groups' revising skills improved…

Argues that the myth of the self-made man commits a fundamental error by downplaying the importance of social definition and equating masculine growth with an escape from the boundaries of origins (race, class, sex) and institutions. Discusses the myth in terms of its history and writing pedagogies employed in some classrooms. (TB)

Examines two studies: one that shows that competent to highly competent writers find writing centers beneficial, and the other that shows that faculty continue to think of writing centers as suited to remedial students and surface level corrections. Attempts to glean from these studies important information that could act as a corrective to all…

Adolescents (n=18) with learning disabilities or low achievement were trained to use interactive dialogs to collaboratively plan and revise individually written opinion essays. Analysis indicated that, when compared with untrained controls, trainees improved significantly from pretest to posttest in clarity and cogency of their writing and…

Describes two projects promoting the exchange of essays between American students in intensive German language courses and German high school students. The article maintains that the easy availability of fax equipment in the United States and in Germany permits the use of this technology as a means of increasing the relevance of the writing…

Describes the design and implementation of a developmental English course for community college students still not performing at college level after a semester of remedial work. Discusses the theoretical background of the curriculum, book selection criteria, the course reading list, and classroom activities used to increase motivation and…

Discusses the efficacy of a Writers' Workshop (WW) approach for promoting writing skills and writing self-efficacy in fourth- and fifth-grade learning-disabled students who had significant writing deficits. Compares various outcomes from WW students with outcomes of students with significant writing deficits who were exposed to a "writing across…

Describes how the author used research booklets to be read by sixth graders, poetry books, and taking part in a city-wide writing competition with her eighth-grade students to combat a general apathy in many students' writing efforts. Suggests the projects spoke to individual interests, helped students find a purpose to write, and improved the…

Reports on technology used by the author's high school blind and low vision students at the Arizona School for the Blind. Notes common difficulties blind readers have getting access to books and materials, and relates her early efforts to build a classroom library. Discusses note takers for less proficient Braille readers. Outlines the Braille…