Revision, an essential component of the writing process, encompasses two basic elements: rewriting the content to assure clarity, and editing the draft to eliminate mechanical and grammatical errors. It is important for teachers to plan lessons directed specifically toward helping children make more sense of their messages. This document presents…

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,…

James Joyce's use of interior monologue (the interior self of the character is given directly, as though the reader were overhearing an articulation of the stream of thought and feeling flowing through the character's mind) can help basic writers in developmental classes. Students can be given excerpts from Joyce and asked to turn the sentence…

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…

Presents an effective strategy for having business writing students create drafts of their work, so that final copies of assignments receive better grades, and students subsequently feel better about the class. (JC)

Discusses use of word processing software as an effective tool in writing and revision instruction, and describes the role of the teacher. Examples of exercises that encourage revision and of software designed to teach effective revision skills are reviewed. (MBR)

Argues that the introductory history course should focus on teaching students to find, evaluate, and present information in a coherent manner rather than merely present a cluster of facts to be memorized. Suggests an article review assignment which teaches students to effectively evaluate and communicate knowledge. (LS)

An activity book presents strategies and suggestions to help elementary teachers lead their students through the five steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. A student activity page has children use artwork to inspire writing. (SM)

One college teacher's approach to writing instruction focuses on grading to encourage learning, using a marking system that clarifies distinctions between content and mechanics, and removes the punitive aspect of grading. The system is rewarding and motivational for both students and teacher. In addition, the course includes individual…

Noting that revising is the hardest part of the writing process for children, this book offers practical strategies to effectively motivate students and to help them build the skills to revise their own work. The book suggests that children in grades 2 and above can handle revision if they are taught the skills that enable them to do it and if…

The articles in this collection are intended to present a detailed picture of the work of Donald Graves and his associates at the Writing Process Laboratory (WPL) of the University of New Hampshire. The introduction provides an overview of the work of Graves and examines his views of beginning writing, writing conferences, revision, audience, and…

Many writing process researchers have shown that students make only minor mechanical changes instead of revising their documents significantly. Effective revision pedagogy must address this problem by encouraging revision of content, arrangement, and style, and by directing student attention to all levels of the document, from the overall essay…

Unless students have an appropriate attitude toward revision--the keystone of the writing process--teachers who institute writing process approaches face frustration and failure. Implementing the following suggestions may help increase revision in the classroom. First, while the mature writing process is not strictly linear, students developing…

Instructional methods and rationales for all phases of the writing process are presented in this curriculum guide for grades one through eight. The first section of the guide presents 10 steps that comprise a process approach to writing based on research into the way writing happens. This is followed by descriptions of the various domains of…

A college-level composition course in English as a second language uses a "freewriting" technique and de-emphasizes rules and structure to emphasize writing strategies. The course is divided into three major segments: drafting, revising, and fine-tuning. In the first segment, students are encouraged to develop fluency by trying a number of topics,…