This paper examines the importance of handwriting instruction, through discussion of four issues: (1) whether handwriting should be taught directly outside other writing contexts; (2) slanted versus traditional manuscript alphabets; (3) use of a beginner's pencil and wide lined paper; and (4) the use of self-regulation procedures within the…

Argues that a prevalent mistake made by teachers preparing writing curricula and assignments is dividing writing into classes or modes. Suggests alternatives to classifying writing. Envisions writing as a discourse act and assignments as performance of such acts. (HB)

Describes a senior-year requirement of a high school in Oregon consisting of a prescribed research paper. Demonstrates the benefits of this requirement among those in college writing courses. Argues that freeing students to choose a topic may be the key. (HB)

Discusses the rationale for experimenting with diverse discourse alternatives in writing classrooms. Offers examples of the readings that inspire the author and her students, as well as samples of student essays. (SR)

Presents three writing exercises ("quick plots,""fairy tales: traveling," and "what did Shakespeare see when he closed his eyes?") designed to be completed with a group of people. Notes that the exercises can help students create solutions to the problems they run into when writing fiction. (RS)

Gathers qualitative and quantitative measures in a formative analysis of the Writing to Read program. Finds that qualitative measures supported student, parent, and teacher satisfaction related to the program and that some statistically significant differences were found between first- and second-grade Writing to Read students and control…

Examines journalism students' attitudes toward revision and the kinds of changes students make as they revise. Finds that students perceived revising their work either helped them earn a better grade or helped them learn more from the assignment and that surface level changes predominate over meaning changes. Discusses five guidelines for teaching…

Defines the major problems, stemming from contending perspectives, facing writing across the curriculum programs in comprehensive universities. Suggests some solutions to these problems and provides four goals for successful programs in the field. (HB)

Discusses the first four months of the operation of UrbNet, an online forum for teachers in the Urban Sites Writing Network across the country to ruminate on their daily professional lives. Notes that there are more readers who are not writing on the network than is desirable. (RS)

Provides a number of classroom activities, including skits, which foster creative thinking and bring vigor to the classroom setting. Relates how, in one class, students were given the opportunity to collaborate on skits in lieu of the final exam. (HB)

Uses classroom stories to reflect on "emergent occasions" (sudden, insightful, unexpected turns in classroom routine): what they are, how they happen, and how they can be invited. (SR)

Reviews some of the benefits of the whole-language philosophy. Discusses the importance of systematic direct instruction, defining it and presenting arguments for including it in the classroom. Urges building bridges between whole-language and more traditional approaches. (PRA)

Describes "Let's Write!" a writing package for the MS-DOS network which combines five software programs to define a new collaborative dynamic for writing, reading, and thinking on computer networks. (SR)

Presents a nine-assignment sequence that has students engage three interconnected problems of writing and word processing. (SR)

Describes numerous ways cooperative or collaborative grouping can be implemented in classroom literacy instruction. Explains how the transition may be made to cooperative grouping. Shows how the process can be adopted to reading and writing instruction. (SR)