Reviews two recent articles on computer use in the English classroom. Discusses ways that word processing programs for microcomputers can be used to teach revision. Identifies the equipment and software requirements for using the approach and discusses practical benefits. (DMM)

Through the use of WORDSWORTH II, the faculty at Michigan Technological University have found that computer-assisted instruction can be useful in teaching students the processes involved in revision. A series of computer programs, WORDSWORTH II is available outside of and in addition to regular classroom instruction and offers students effective…

Students in a remedial composition course at St. Olaf College were required to write all their papers on a microcomputer. It was assumed that text editing would be useful not only in the writing and revision processes, but also in building both confidence and morale as students mastered its techniques. The assignments were explained on Monday, and…

In the area of composition, computer assisted instruction (CAI) must move beyond the limited concerns of the current-traditional rhetoric to address the larger issues of writing, become process-centered, and involve active writing rather than answering multiple-choice questions. Researchers cite four major types of interactive CAI, the last of…

Presents three exercises that teach good proofreading and editing skills as well as tap students' creativity on the word processor. (HTH)

To determine whether basic writers revise more successfully using word processors as opposed to pen and paper, a study investigated the quality of revision of approximately 100 college basic writers in three classes at a southern university. In the fall semester, word processors were used in each of the three classes once every two weeks. In the…

A study examined whether the use of word processors would enhance the amount and quality of students' revisions. Subjects, 28 high school sophomores and juniors enrolled in a special class for interested writers, met twice a week for 60 minutes in either a computer laboratory (experimental group) or in a regular classroom (control group). Findings…

Discusses revision as a growth-through-change process occurring continuously through all stages of drafting. Describes several ways in which word processing facilitates invention, substitution, reordering, adding, cutting and other aspects of this kind of composing. Offers guidelines for using computers in the writing classroom. (JG)

Considering questions relevant for teachers, students, researchers, and developers of educational innovations, this book centers on the words and experiences of the teachers and students who used QUILL--a system containing both computer-based tools and environments for writing. The first chapter introduces general issues on which the analysis of…

This compilation of articles on computer applications in writing instruction deals with the areas of prewriting, editing and grammar, word processing research and applications, and programs for the writing process. It contains the following papers: "Recollections of First-Generation Computer-Assisted Prewriting," by Hugh Burns; "Computer-Based…

A comparison of three popular computer programs for text analysis examined their effectiveness in analyzing texts written by students of English as a Second Language (ESL). Results indicate occasional incorrect advice and emphasis on relatively trivial issues, raising doubts about their effectiveness as a stand-alone revision aid for ESL writers.…

A computerized grammar checker was developed to assist teachers of English as a Second Language in editing student compositions. The first stage of development consisted of an error analysis of 125 writing samples collected from students. The 1,659 errors found were classified into 14 main types and 93 subtypes. This analysis served as the basis…

Divided into two sections, this report outlines several components of computer based instruction in the composing process. The first section, which focuses on the use of computers in editing, generating ideas, and producing text, presents a users' manual for composition instruction on a microcomputer, a general description of how computer based…

Based on the notion that children will rewrite willingly if given a definite purpose, three alternatives for revision connect the necessity of revision to the students' acceptance and desire to revise. The first alternative is to have the children revise their original story format, where the basic storyline remains the same, but the ideas,…

One of the best teaching methods adaptable to the computer is the writing conference. The student and teacher meet at the computer and work with the piece directly on the screen. Holding writing conferences at the computer allows the teacher to get closer to the student's writing processes and to determine the stage or stages with which the…