Findings from research demonstrate that student writing proficiency and classroom writing instruction is a national concern (Applebee & Langer, 2006, 2009; Graham, Harris, Fink-Chorzempa, & MacArthur, 2003; Persky, Daane, & Jin, 2003). This qualitative study explored principles of effective writing instruction through the perspectives of leading…

The one-on-one format of tutoring, which is the norm for "writing" centers, can foster the much-maligned view of a "writing center" as a fix-it shop and undermine the role of the tutor as a co-learner and facilitator of peer-to-peer interactions. The peer-interactive "writing center approach", presented here, moves…

This paper examines the processes through which learners interact with a corpus system and microgenetic development emerges from the interaction. The corpus system described in this paper is capable of retrieving highly relevant textual examples tailored to individual needs. Data were collected from an undergraduate ESL composition course in North…

The purpose of this article is to discuss the process of teaching graduate students in school psychology to write psychological reports that teachers and parents find readable and that guide intervention. The consensus from studies across four decades of research is that effective psychological reports connect to the client's context; have clear…

The "Spalding Method"[R] is a language arts program for grades K-6 that uses explicit, integrated instruction and multisensory techniques to teach spelling, writing, and reading. The program and its textbook, The "Writing Road to Reading," provide 32 weeks of lesson plans. Students work on program materials in spelling,…

The discourses of "trauma" and "post-trauma" have become pervasive in representations of life as it is lived in contemporary globalized culture. As new media technologies make the world more accessible, we become accustomed to overwhelming social, political, and personal circumstances, and we come to see "trauma"…

In this article the author discusses a new approach to teaching referencing based on establishing textual authority and separating writers' voices. She first presents a short discussion of key theoretical ideas that inform the approach, and then she describes five lessons, four of which are integrated into the course theme of "homelessness."…

NCTE's core values, posted on the website (http://www.ncte.org), are writing, literature, diversity, integrated language arts, knowledgeable and caring teachers, advocacy, and public education ("NCTE Core Values"). In this article, the author focuses only on writing, diversity, and advocacy, considering just a few ways in which the organization…

Writers know writing. They have acquired knowledge that enables them to successfully practice the art and craft of writing. The authors believe that writers can provide guidance that will help teachers and students learn writer's craft. In a unique format, the authors reference more than 30 well-known writers to raise issues about composition and…

In this article, the author asserts that those who teach writing must regularly engage in conversations with "all" teachers about how their work with and on writing connects to work that students are doing across the entire curriculum. In other words, writing and writing instruction are not and should not be considered the sole responsibility of…

That a successful professional life in Rhetoric and Composition depends on a PhD, a tenure line, and an extensive publication record is complicated by the demands that family makes on a professional life. The notion of "making it" in Rhetoric and Composition can also complicate how the field judges the contributions of its participants and the…

Responding to Michelle Ballif, D. Diane Davis, and Roxanne Mountford's "Women's Ways of Making It in Rhetoric and Composition," this article provides a more expansive definition of "making it," and argues that not only should we focus on women who are professionals in rhetoric and composition at institutions other than the Research I schools and…

We present a demonstration involving the oxidative photobleaching of a raspberry juice dye under visible laser light irradiation using the semiconductor titanium dioxide. A plausible interpretation of the phenomenon is discussed that aids in the understanding of semiconductor energetics and the nature of light. (Contains 2 figures.)

This study examined the effect of electronic outlining on the quality of students' writing products and how outlining affects perceived mental effort during the writing task. Additionally, it was studied how students appropriate and appreciate an outline tool and whether they need explicit instruction in order to engage in planning. To answer…

A brief review of composition theory shows metaphor is often underused and misrepresented in the composition classroom. Approaches to teaching metaphor in composition courses do not go far enough in acknowledging the key role metaphor can play in argumentation, and very little composition theory heeds Andrea Lunsford's call to teach metaphor as…