Describes how a first grade teacher runs a "writer's workshop" based on the process approach to writing. Discusses how children develop their ideas for stories, share their writing with their peers, and decide whether or not to "publish" their writing. Notes that the students are enthusiastic about participating in the workshop. (RS)

Presents a conversation with Linda Rief, a middle school language-arts teacher, concerning writing workshops in the classroom. (RS)

Two teachers reflect on their combined experiences in teaching middle school, teaching preservice teachers, and teaching online in order to adapt and apply strategies for bringing positive experiences in a computer-based environment to middle grade students. The result is five valuable lessons, each of which is explained theoretically and…

This article describes the increasing pressures on those who teach graduate seminars in composition pedagogy to cover a broad range of texts, topics, and techniques. It argues that in response, pedagogy instructors may need to deliberately (re)design their courses in order to continue to help new writing instructors engage in inquiry and…

In this book, author Peggy Campbell-Rush shares the strategies she relies on to teach young students not only how to read and write, but also to love to read and write. Teachers will find close to 100 tips, ideas, and activities that they can implement immediately, including: the dos and don'ts for reading aloud; putting new twists on tedious…

Bringing together information elementary school teachers need to make balanced literacy instruction a reality, this book presents more than 90 short articles designed to be read in a brief period of time and suitable for use in after-school workshops. It presents ideas and instructional approaches teachers have found most valuable and effective in…

Two single subject multiple probes across subjects research studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of two instructional writing programs. The objective of the first study was to determine the effect of an instructional program on the selection of initial letters of words by 3 children with developmental disabilities (ages 7-10) who…

Provides words and pictures to help understand how the concept of the artists' workshop can enhance writers' workshops in the elementary or middle school classroom. (RS)

Examines how technology can support elementary school writer's workshops, noting the nature of the writer's workshop and exploring how word processing and desktop publishing programs can help nurture developing writers. The article presents several ways teachers can use computers in writer's workshops (drafting and revising, writing mechanics,…

Shares the experiences of one teacher as she implements process writing in her classroom. (MG)

Collaboration for some English teachers has proved to be the key to effective professional development. Teachers working together on evaluating the effectiveness of a writing workshop in the high school classroom have helped them gain knowledge about their beliefs and practices.

This photo essay includes children's reflections on the opportunities offered by Artists/Writers Workshop for meaning-making in two languages--the language of pictures and the language of words. As students move back and forth between pictures and words, they experience transmediation. They create new meanings, find new and stronger voices, and…

The "writing workshop" approach to teaching creative writing, virtually unchallenged throughout the United States, has recently come under fire. Two schools of thought, while agreeing that the traditional workshop needs a thorough overhaul, differ in approaches to that overhaul. One approach, using the theories of Harold Bloom, argues…

At Southerland Institute (a pseudonym), in spite of the teacher's strong statements in favor of encouraging students to think for themselves and to work together, the writing program Southerland's teachers outline is formulaic with its required modes, prescribed five-paragraph-like essay form, and bell-curve grading practices. A new rhetorician…

This paper examines the relationship between learning to write and learning to teach. Three beginning teachers implementing writing workshop for the first time were observed over a 5-month period to see how they met with the demands of learning to teach and try innovative ideas in a school district that mandates traditional skills-based…