A study described the 1990-91 and 1991-92 Chapter 1 Developer/Demonstration Program, Learning to Read through the Arts (LTRTA), and evaluated the effectiveness of its implementation. The program offers intensive holistic reading and reading-oriented arts instruction to Chapter 1-eligible students, using an interdisciplinary, thematic approach that…

This book is addressed to those about to embark on the teaching of second language writing as well as to those already engaged in the field. Teachers are dedicated to postering growth in writing; researchers want to investigate the questions that shed the greatest light on the problem in the field. The concerns of both these groups are addressed…

This instructional guide provides step-by-step techniques for using biblical materials in adult literacy instruction. Although the book is written from a Christian perspective, the techniques can easily be adapted to any religious material. Chapters 1 and 2 describe adults who want to learn specifically to read the Bible and volunteers who want to…

This document brings together six papers on language skills and language arts teaching of gifted students. "The State of the Art Issues in Language Study for High Ability Learners: Thinking about Language with Gifted Children" (Michael Clay Thompson) considers two areas traditionally included in discussions of language study--grammar and…

Imprecise definitions and indeterminate effects of schooling have plagued the field of writing and have led to a persistent antagonism between the professional teacher and the professional assessor. Into this historical situation entered portfolio assessment in the 1980s. Can portfolio's be used in lieu of standardized tests and other forms of…

Students in a language arts methods class work in learning teams in literature circles. They read novels, keep journals, and use a variety of strategies in exploring the novels and relating the authors' work and ideas to their own lives. Occasionally, the group is asked to develop questions which they would like to ask the author. Invariably,…

Although many educators believe that learning to read and write Mandarin Chinese is not easy (because of the complexities of its characters and grammar), it is common to find voracious and expert young readers in the early elementary school levels in Taiwan. The Chinese educational system is governed by a uniform curriculum and nationalized…

This paper presents an approach to analyzing classroom talk that sheds light on the intellectual work of the classroom. The analysis system extends the theoretical construct of preference organization from conversational analysis to the study of a whole-class, teaching-learning interaction in a ninth-grade English classroom, during which an expert…

A study investigated whether the writing outcomes of first-grade pupils participating in the Writing-to-Read (WTR) program differed significantly from the writing outcomes of pupils in a traditional language arts curriculum (No-WTR). The study also investigated whether differences were attributable to gender, race, socioeconomic status, individual…

The papers in this proceedings of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication (CPTSC) conference discuss collaboration with other disciplines, with business and industry, and with research foundations, reflecting the readiness to reach out that characterizes CPTSC in its second decade. Papers in the proceedings are:…

In this collection, English language arts teachers describe methods they use to increase their students' interest in and appreciation of writing. The book focuses on the benefits of using portfolios in assessing student writing and incorporation of the revision process into writing. The 16 essays drawn from the elementary, secondary, and, college…

A study was done at Western Michigan University of faculty and student perceptions of the effects of the baccalaureate-level writing requirements. The assessment was in two parts. First, a faculty survey requested information about: the development and evaluation of writing assignments, the relative importance of essential writing skills, typical…

The motivational value of Virginia's Public Education Network (VA PEN), specifically the Thomas Jefferson On-line discussion group, is examined in this study. The instructional value of the network with respect to student motivation in fourth grade students of varied ability was gauged through observation of actual hands-on network experience,…

An English teacher at Hokkaido International School, Japan, guided his students through the writing process of thinking up ideas for writing topics and developing and revising those ideas into competent works. The class was composed of seven non-native speakers (in grades nine through twelve) who tried to achieve fluency in English within the…

This guidebook is designed to help teachers think about the important role of assessment in guiding students' narrative writing, with an emphasis on the close connections among curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The assessments that are given as examples stem from a long-term collaboration between the Center for Research on Evaluation,…