Prepared as part of a series applying recent research in oral and written communication instruction to classroom practice, this booklet discusses three visual models of teaching written composition. The first section of the booklet discusses the content area model, which begins with an abstraction presented to students (definitions of parts of speech or rules for subject-verb agreement, for example), then moves to models or examples, such as sample paragraphs or model short stories. The section also examines the shortcomings and the strengths of the model. The second section deals with the mastery model, a visual interpretation of B. Bloom's ideas, analyzing its flaws and advantages. The third section presents the writing process model, a synthesis of ideas from D. Graves, J. Britton, G. Stanford, and others. The discussion covers the various stages of the model, including prewriting, drafting, and proofreading, and offers a comparison of the model to others. The booklet concludes with three "excursions," extended treatments of several points related to the topic of models, including talk in the classroom, revision and teacher feedback, and the writing process, mechanics, and nonstandard English. Examples of student work are used throughout the booklet. (FL)