Addressing the issue of testing and evaluation in English at the university level, this paper focuses on the development and use of the English Placement Test developed by the California State University system. The discussion of this testing program is placed within a framework of four testing principles: testing is an essential part of learning…

Reviews five books by James Moffett, discussing ways these practical applications of his development theory can be adopted as a course, a program, or a curriculum. Presents Moffett's work as a holistic integrated arts approach that offers a "real writing" alternative to such external controls as standardized tests, formalized writing…

Argues, in a discussion of the benefits of collaborative writing, that teaching writing as a solitary activity belies actual experience and research pointing to it as a collaborative effort. Shows how to use peer response groups to introduce students to collaborative writing. (EL)

The views of George I. Sanchez are examined to determine what an earlier generation of Hispanic-American educators thought about bilingual education. Sanchez stressed integrating Spanish-speaking children into Anglo classrooms and downplayed the need for a new pedagogy, such as bilingual instruction. (PP)

The authors argue that developments in these two fields have converged to the point that it is counter-productive to view them separately. This thesis is elaborated by reference to historical antecedents, the concern for communicative competence, the issue of study skills, psychological processes, and the teacher's role. (Author/SJL)

Information on current trends and issues informally discussed and then delineated by the directors of six National Council of Teachers of English commissions, is presented in this 13th annual report. The commissions and their directors are: (1) Commission on Curriculum (Dorothy King); (2) Commission on Composition (Christine Kline); (3) Commission…

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…

A description of the role and status of English language use and instruction in Australia looks at English within the education systems of the seven states and the Australian Capital Territory at all levels, both for native speakers and students of English as a second language. The following areas are also examined (1) the use of English by…

Research studies dealing with the effects of teacher characteristics on pupil achievement were reviewed. Teacher behaviors and characteristics emanating from this research are presented in a profile of successful teachers: (1) Cognitive Organization--the teacher reflects a grasp of subject matter and an understanding of perception and…

A selective view of recent major areas of research into school processes related to language outcomes supports the contention of the Bullock Report and of many educational theorists who say that there is no one best way to improve language and literacy, but that schools and school variables can and do make differences. The research that is…

Defining young adult literature to include any book freely chosen for reading by a person between the ages of 12 and 20, this book is intended to help educate professionals in related fields about the growing body of such literature. The first section of the book provides an introduction to young adult literature, including a discussion of the…

By means of an extensive literature review, this paper attempts to determine what should be taught in a community college writing program with a diversity of students in a sequence of developmental and transfer English courses. The existence of a laboratory and separate reading courses is assumed. The paper begins by citing studies of the…

Claims that there are many writing teachers, not just a few English/language arts teachers who are so designated, and that writing is already taught across the curriculum. Argues that teacher educators must reconsider their exclusive concern with methods and focus on teachers' theories of teaching and learning. (MS)

English language learners (ELLs) were once expected to learn English before they learned critical content needed to succeed in school, but this is longer true, because now federal education laws require that ELLs be held to the same academic standards as other students. There are, however, requirements to assess and document progress on tests of…

The following are the basic theories concerning the teaching of English to African-American students: (1) the laissez-faire approach (noninterference with the language of the student); (2) the bidialectical approach (teaching English as if it were a foreign language); and (3) the eradicationalist approach (teaching standard English, emphasizing…