Drawn from the experience of various ministries and departments in governments across Canada, this guide is meant to be a practical guide in implementing plain language for managers in the Ontario (Canada) government. The guide describes how to use plain language in planning, writing, designing, and editing forms and documents, and how to set up…

Written for Canadian public servants and written with their help, this handbook presents principles and tips to make official writing clear, concise, and well organized. The handbook defines "plain language" writing as a technique of organizing information in ways that make sense to the reader--using familiar, straightforward words. The…

This is the description of a teacher using the creation of a class newspaper as a vehicle to improve the writing ability of Grade 3 students. In this instance, there was the added benefit of creating a community of learners who worked and supported each other in their classroom. Notes from parents, comments from students and teacher observations…

Based on a series of clear lines workshops, this guide about clear language in the workplace was written for people concerned about literacy and clear communication at work. The materials and activities help not only people with reading problems to design documents, memos, letters, and bulletins, but help, also, people who read well. The guide's…

Discusses the importance of writing activities in the social studies, stating that teachers must plan assignments which provide opportunities for students to communicate their own understanding of the subject matter. Provides guidelines and examples of works of poetry, historical fiction, letter writing, and current events. (GEA)

"Writing across the curriculum," an educational objective of the 70s, has failed to impress itself as a significant reality on Canada's educators, especially in secondary schools. Reasons for this include a lack of understanding of the concept and its scope within institutions and misconceptions about the English department's role. (JMM)

Considers why the use of story in literacy education is central to critical adult literacy practice, and examines both its potential and limitations. The use of story in the form of student-written and student-produced autobiographies in general, and one student's story in particular, is explored. The value of publishing learners' stories is…

A study assessed the impact of word processing on the writing of junior high school students, experienced in working with computers, for a number of tasks, including writing. Subjects, 111 eighth grade students in four communications arts classes at a Canadian middle-class suburban school, who had been using computers for writing for a year and a…

In order to investigate the effects of computer technology on the composing processes of students in grades 8 and 12, a study compared students' writing in two conditions (writing by pen and writing by word processor), specifically addressing the questions of whether computer use led to an increase in revision and/or an improvement in quality.…

A survey of 23 scholarly journal editors in five countries concerning the qualities of acceptable and unacceptable articles is reported. Common problems, ways of improving manuscript quality, the role of the reviewer, and practical suggestions for aspiring authors are addressed. Emphasis is placed on getting published. (Author/MSE)

Contrasts uses of electronic mail which are contrived by teachers versus uses that are based on real educational needs. Examples based on elementary school projects in Canada, the United States, and Australia are given; and uses in distance education, in school administration, with handicapped children, and to improve writing skills are described.…

Students in two Canadian sixth grade classes (n=104) were assigned to four groups: persuasion instruction with writing practice; persuasion instruction with reading practice; practice in reading; and group discussions (controls). The performance of those given instruction in persuasive writing with reading or writing practice improved…

Many parents on a southwestern Manitoba (Canada) Indian reservation are troubled by the small number of high school students who graduate. Much of the failure can be attributed to the generally poor writing skills of aboriginal students. To increase the students' writing ability, a computer-assisted instruction program emphasizing writing and…

Directed towards elementary teachers interested in improving their writing programs, this guide focuses on motivating teachers to involve themselves and their students in the writing process. Each of the 12 chapters contains practical step-by-step procedures on implementing the writing process, and sample activities are illustrated. The first…

This report discusses the effectiveness of strategy-based writing instruction for adolescents with language-based learning disabilities. The instruction is being provided to Canadian students in grade eight who are at least two grade equivalents below their peers in reading and writing ability. The students are taught a paraphrasing strategy that…