Argues that grading and evaluation need not be as pervasive as they seem. Explores ways teachers can step outside grading: nongraded writing assignments, portfolios, and grading contracts. Explores how it is possible to go further and step outside the mentality of evaluation by using certain descriptive and analytic responses to student writing.…

Describes how a professor teaching a "Writing Arguments" course focused on two cases involving the death penalty to show students how arguments are constructed, and how students can form strong arguments of their own. Notes that this approach does not force students to choose sides when they stand somewhere in the middle. Describes four…

An effective way to conduct writing conferences and support primary students in writing is to find questions that encourage more thinking and writing as they work. Four strategies include: avoiding yes/no questions, encouraging students to value work, evaluating many writing samples, and refocusing in conferences. The paper offers sample writing…

After investigating characteristics of students' writing that contributed to their passing or failing a university writing competence examination, researchers designed and implemented instruction to help college-bound 11th graders develop appropriate writing skills. Analysis of students' pre- and postintervention writing indicated that the…

Presents brief guidelines for developing writing assignments based on the author's description (a politicized representation) of postmodern cultural studies. Discusses a composition assignment in which students critique the formal and the hidden curriculum of a class they have taken in the recent past, and in which they also become writing members…

Presents a series of e-mail conversations between the two authors as they debate some of the "sacred cows" of writing instruction in elementary language arts: (1) Do teachers need to be writers?; (2) Do students need to keep journals?; (3) Is writing a political act?; and (4) Do students need to publish their work? (SR)

Argues that, if writing instructors implement Howard Gardner's theories about multiple intelligences (MI), students who do not learn linguistically may develop tools for learning that improve their writing skills. Describes teaching a freshman composition class based on MI theory, discussing seven steps of implementation. Offers insights from…

Describes the authors' ongoing collaborative teaching and encourages instructors to try it. Points out various ways that collaborative teaching can take place. Examines values and assumptions underlying collaborative teaching. Presents results of a case study looking at major benefits to classes and students, major benefits to instructors, and…

Argues that teachers who write are in a better position to guide students, provide useful feedback, and show the real value of writing. Discusses remembering the agony, sharing the ecstasy, giving authentic feedback, growing a community of writers, and remembering the reason people bother to write at all. (SR)

Presents two brief articles--the first discusses purposes for using children's picture books in a secondary classroom, activities for children's literature, and integrating children's books into the classroom curriculum; and the second discusses using folktales in the classroom to engage reluctant readers and writers, suggests ideas/topics for…

Outlines the writing process. Describes various classroom writing activities that offer simple frameworks, introductions to the process, and activities involved in each stage to help young children (even primary students) effectively use the writing process, and eagerly look forward to writing and publishing. (SR)

Notes that portfolios are a valuable classroom practice and one with many applications to the world students will enter when they leave the classroom, but the use of portfolios to assess distorts the concept and weakens its effectiveness. Discourages the use of portfolios for assessment. Concludes that portfolios are not about assessment; they are…

Proposes a change in the way creativity is taught in journalism design classes. Suggests pedagogical strategies that incorporate creativity research into the journalism design curriculum. Proposes a curriculum that is empirically based rather than anecdotal, and one that demystifies creativity and offers students specific techniques and practice…

Offers brief descriptions from four English teachers of activities they have successfully used with high school English students, dealing with Standard English, cliches and word choice, group vocabulary work, and the love of words. (SR)

Presents a talk addressing "language issues"--issues of student writers who are not native speakers of English, who are struggling with standard English usage, and/or who are unfamiliar with the conventions of academic discourse. Offers an explanation of what writing-to-learn pedagogy should be and do. (SG)