Foregrounds teaching and writing as embodied (that is, gendered, sexualized) practices that contain within them markers of identity that require us to revisit our past or which can subject us to shame. Highlights the transformative potential such teaching and writing have, both for us and for various audiences. (SG)

Draws upon a longitudinal study of four undergraduate student writers and focuses on the progress of one of them. Questions assumptions that confuse skills assessment with the measurement of academic and personal development. Argues for a broader view of writing development and a teaching approach that fosters it. (SG)

Describes how a teacher and researcher in Australia engaged students in chat-room discussion as a bridge between speaking and writing. Discusses the characteristics of formal written argumentation and recent theoretical reemphasis on its rhetorical and dialogical nature. Describes the classroom strategies devised to develop the students' ability…

Surveys primary grade teachers about their instructional adaptations for weaker writers. Although many teachers were sensitive to struggling writers' individual needs, there was a sizable percentage of teachers (42%) who made few or no adaptations. The most common adaptations made by teachers addressed students' difficulties with the mechanics of…

Contends that to mindfully appreciate the shape a poem carves onto a page is to view its words and lines in relief, to consider how the contours of a poem contribute to its meaning. Explains that the notion of blank space as a defining element of poetry is simple yet radical, and is a subtle challenge to students who define poetry as beautiful…

Presents 4 experiments to examine the mechanism behind choice of script type in Japanese writing. Suggests that there are no implicit relationships between semantic images of script types and personal names in Japanese writing. Hypothesizes two tentative cognitive models to explain how Japanese people select a particular type of script from three…

Describes how a teacher helps children understand that endings do not just magically pop into their heads as they write the final words of their stories. Hopes to provide students with authentic revising sessions and to encourage them to assume the dual role of critical reader and thoughtful writer whenever possible. (SG)

This article is based on an invited colloqium on second language (L) writing presented at the 200 meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics. The colloquium featured five second language writing researchers two discussed some of the important currents that have shaped the field of second language writing. (Author/VWL)

Describes an eight-step writing assignment that is a novel way to test students' writing skills in a way that is intriguing, interactive, and team-oriented, with built-in multiple deadlines requiring quick creativity and cognitive knowledge. Presents a poetry writing exercise in which the student is asked to write a short poem in the voice of…

Describes how the author worked to create a writing program that was more aligned with her philosophy of education. Notes how she worked hard to give students choice in their activities so as to provide them with the chance to take ownership in a few areas of their learning. Focuses on what other researchers and educators had to say about writing…

Shares instructional practices based on narrative and expository texts that will build students' literacy skills and meet many writing assessment demands in the United States. Presents guiding principles for best writing practice, pertinent standards in the English language arts, strategy-based lesson plans, and practical implications for teachers…

Recommends a handful of activities that have consistently proven both useful to the author and helpful to his students. Describes activities including the Thesaurus Game, Word Pairs, Signs and Notices, the Sears Roebuck Game, the Mental Symposium, and Cubing. Concludes that these six devices prod students in directions that help them concentrate…

Notes that the process of creating a poem not only demonstrates the inherent characteristics of the imaginative experience, but when it is written and shared in a supportive group, it validates diverse student voices and establishes the foundation for a classroom community. Presents three techniques that are important and valuable methods to…

Notes that educators must think about the possibilities for using autobiographical narrative ethically and effectively in academic writing and research, and they need to ask how the personal affects writing that is less personal. Considers how regardless of the stance toward the personal, no one can be an informed writer or reader without…

Explores the opinions surrounding a high school teacher, Karen Jost, and her statement that "high school writing teachers should not write." Describes the author's personal journey as a teacher of adolescents and teachers, acknowledging some of the reasons why educators do not live literate lives in the classroom. Offers some of the reasons why…