Noting that (1) current research suggests that technology may contribute to improved instruction in writing but it does not do so automatically, and (2) while teachers may successfully employ computers with their writing students, their choices of methods remain critical, this paper surveys computer approaches and appropriate software for…

Discusses a method for involving students in topics so that research evolves from a desire to know. Describes using response group discussion about real life problems to find topics, freewriting loops, and class presentation before and during research. Reports positive atmosphere and interest. (JG)

A flexible writing curriculum meets varied student levels and goals by basing courses on students' own written work. Activities in this type of curriculum include: prewriting activities, first drafts, peer critiques, instructor feedback, worksheet handouts, and second drafts. (Author/CB)

Reports on a survey of English, social studies, and science teachers about perceived and actual classroom writing instruction practices. (RL)

Process writing methods, which are well established in Canadian elementary and secondary schools, are introduced in this book for use with adult English as a Second Language (ESL) and adult basic education (ABE) classes. The book is the result of two research projects that investigated the feasibility of using a process approach to teaching…

The "informal process" for writing reports, which incorporates the mechanics of textbook theory but emphasizes the composition process, may be more successful for teaching fifth graders how to write reports than the traditional approach. This process recommends a number of nontraditional teaching methods. Student choice of topic should…

Sentence combining is a powerful tool for structuring information and can be used effectively throughout the composing process. The teaching of composition can integrate into the composing process a number of concepts, including the use of heuristics, intellectual strategies, organizing principles, and sentence combining. A useful model for the…

Even young children can be encouraged to write through the use of individual communication, group discussions, and activities that involve rhythms and music. Such activities create a classroom of children who feel comfortable and happy, who share a rapport with their peers and others throughout the school building, and who feel free to express…

Describes a foreign language composition course which uses peer group teaching techniques at the pre-writing and revision stages as a supplement to teacher instruction and evaluation. (Author/CB)

Describes interactive computer software programs that develop prewriting, word processing, and revising skills. (MM)

Four fifth grade students with learning disabilities were taught a strategy to facilitate setting product and process goals, generating and organizing notes, continued planning during writing, and evaluating goal attainment. Strategy instruction had a positive effect on students' essay writing and knowledge of the writing process, and effects were…

This anthology presents materials associated with the five-week summer session of the South Mississippi Writing Project, 1986. The anthology begins with a position statement on teaching writing, and curriculum vitae of staff and teacher consultants followed by lists of group and committee members and a calendar of events in the session. Summaries…

For use in any classroom or group setting for young children, this arts curriculum guide provides a total of 112 learning activities equally distributed across the areas of creative movement, drama, music, and visual arts. The activities are correlated with the Learning Accomplishment Profile (LAP), a developmental assessment instrument. Because…

This guide was developed to help teachers prepare adult students for the essay writing section of the General Educational Development (GED) tests. It informs teachers of what is expected of students on the essay section of the GED examination, and leads them through the writing process in preparation for teaching students how to write an essay.…

This study investigated the effects of heuristically based assignments and tests on adolescents' written responses to literature. In order to examine both tests and instruction, two separate but related experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 investigated whether the inclusion of guided prewriting on essay tests for two poems and two short…