Research demonstrates that children acquire language through active imitation at a very early age. Evidence suggests that children have a notion of writing prior to entry into school. The use of composition models serves to assist the child in the development of writing skills through imitation. (JN)

The use of student peers in editing the writing of fellow students has become a popular tool for teachers. Students learn from the feedback given them by other students and develop a discriminatory eye when rereading their own papers. Samples of tasks are given to aid the teacher. (JN)

As children move toward learning specified forms of writing, they organize print in their environment and learn generalized communication strategies. Learning to write is developmentally similar to the acquisition of oral language. Ten stages are suggested for understanding the development of children's writing. (JN)

A case study of a six-year-old reveals that unfounded assumptions about language growth and development may debilitate rather than facilitate the process of language literacy. Recommendations are made for open-entry language activities where constraints are allowed to evolve in a risk free language environment. (JN)