Describes a longitudinal study of first-grade students' progress in learning punctuation. Examines the classroom as a writing environment, then presents a picture of the children's progress in learning to use apostrophes, quotation marks, and periods, drawing several implications for teaching. (HTH)

England's Leslie Stratta shares his views on teaching basic writing and assessing student growth in writing. (AEA)

Laments the neglect of punctuation in English courses, even in university-preparatory schools. Emphasizes the greater importance that punctuation has in English than in German. Illustrates, with example sentences, the interference of the native language and shows how using or omitting a comma can change the meaning of a sentence. (IFS/WGA)

This study consisted of two repeated measures experiments which explored the relationship between punctuation and grammatical expectations. (HOD)

Suggests that in evaluating student papers audiotapes have several advantages over written comments: audiotapes make for a holistic instead of myopic evaluating approach, and make it easier to make positive comments. Explains system for transferring responsibility for grammatical errors from the teacher to the student. (TB)

Presents an example illustrating how teachers can create reading and writing activities that emphasize how words work through grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and usage. Describes a workshop that highlights a single punctuation mark: the semicolon. Notes that the semicolon defies rigid rules for use and is therefore ideally suited for instruction…

The article identifies specific problems in writing experienced by students with learning disabilities and offers remedial strategies. Considered are problems in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. An example of a case study to identify errors in writing mechanics is also offered. (DB)

The author identified grammar and punctuation software suitable for secondary or postsecondary business students. Three programs--(1) Agreement of Subject and Verb, (2) Punctuation Review, and (3) English Achievement I--were field tested in a classroom setting. Student impressions of the programs are reported. (CH)

Offers sufficient responses to 60 of the most frequently made errors in German grammar, plus 13 punctuation rules, and proposes that the instructor hand out this list to the students and henceforth "tag" language errors by the corresponding number, then have the student correct them and resubmit the assignment for a better grade. (GLR)

Based on a two-year study of children in a classroom environment, this article focuses on an early period of writing development in which many unconventional punctuation behaviors occur. Describes a range of types of unconventional punctuation and assigns them a common underlying principle, that of using punctuation according to graphic principles…

Surveys 100 journalism schools investigating: (1) whether journalism schools treat spelling, punctuation, grammar, and AP style as important factors in improving the state of journalism; (2) how journalism schools are teaching and assessing spelling, punctuation, grammar, and AP style; and (3) whether journalism schools are using entrance or exit…

Looks at how the best writers of English from the 1600s to the present use punctuation in their nonfiction. Finds three bases for punctuation: intonation, grammar (or syntax), and semantics (or rhetoric). Shows that these authors do not regularly and consistently follow the institutionalized rules. Argues for rhetoric-based punctuation because its…

Studied the use of punctuation in children's early writings in connection with organization of the text. Collected 134 stories of second graders written in Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian. Children tried to make sense of writing conventions, including the use of punctuation, and some tried to distinguish the functions of punctuation marks. (SLD)

Helping business students to communicate better, this book addresses approaches and techniques for planning messages and selecting media, discusses a broad range of business writing situations, and covers key situations most managers would face on the job. Exercises in the book were written at two levels of difficulty (those applying basic…

The 33 activities in this book reinforce the rules of written English by providing students with practice in editing a variety of formats. The activities help students develop a basic understanding of the rules of grammar and mechanics (generally taught in grades 4-5) in context and exercise their critical thinking abilities by identifying content…