ALTHOUGH CHILDREN'S NEEDS FOR WRITTEN EXPRESSION PROBABLY PARALLEL THOSE OF ADULTS, THE REASON BEHIND CHILDREN'S CHOICE OF WRITING OVER SPEAKING IN GIVEN INSTANCES IS OPEN TO CONJECTURE. MOREOVER, THE COMMON ASSUMPTION BY TEACHERS THAT CHILDREN CAN AND SHOULD WRITE ABOUT PERSONAL INTERESTS OUGHT TO BE TEMPERED BY THE IDEA THAT MANY INTERESTS ARE BETTER SERVED BY ACTIVITIES OTHER THAN WRITING. FOR EXAMPLE, FREQUENT OPPORTUNITIES SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR YOUNG CHILDREN TO DICTATE ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS, INASMUCH AS DICTATED COMPOSITIONS YIELD A MORE EXTENDED DELINEATION OF IDEAS AND A GREATER VARIETY AND NUMBER OF WORDS THAN DO SELF-WRITTEN COMPOSITIONS OF ELEMENTARY-GRADE CHILDREN. WHEN THE CHILD DOES ATTEMPT SELF-WRITTEN COMPOSITION, HIS INTELLECTUAL CREATIVITY AND SPONTANEITY SHOULD NOT BE FRUSTRATED BY THE REQUIREMENT THAT HE USE ONLY THOSE WORDS HE CAN SPELL. PROBABLY THE MOST THOROUGH AND DEPENDABLE EVALUATION OF A SCHOOL'S WRITING PROGRAM CAN BE OBTAINED BY COMBINING STANDARDIZED TESTING, AN EVALUATION (EITHER OF THE DETAILED ANALYSIS OR FIRST-IMPRESSION TYPE) OF THE WRITING OF ALL STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL, AND A SAMPLING OF SELECTED INDIVIDUAL CASE RECORDS. (THIS BOOKLET IS AVAILABLE FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSN., 1201 SIXTEENTH ST., N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036 FOR $0.25--10 PERCENT DISCOUNT FOR 2-9 COPIES, 20 PERCENT FOR 10 OR MORE.) (RD)