Kathleen Cecil helps the urban students to see the connections between texts on a topic and create a harmonious whole. For the final project the students chose a visual and two kinds of writings that presented the most compelling information.

Various studies revealed the ineffectiveness of direct grammar instruction to produce better writers. However, a high school teacher finds that explaining grammar rules provides students with tools for building complex thoughts and expressing themselves more elaborately.

As a new faculty member, the author was invited by colleagues to help protect a resource they believed was essential to their instructional program. The importance of teaching grammar in a didactic fashion as a precursor to student writing constituted an unchallenged belief in the department. Faculty members were committed to the notion that…

Reviews research to establish that it has not proven that instruction in grammar has no effect on student writing. (DD)

Criticizes theoretical schema of learning/writing processes (e.g., steps such as problem identifying, investigating, getting insights, expressing, refining, announcing, and reacting) to the actual experience of process which never fits such classifications. Cites theories of J. Dewey and F. M. Alexander to distinguish between attention to means…

Describes a writing assignment that uses the song "America the Beautiful" to point the following six reasons why America is beautiful: skies, mountains, grain, Pilgrims, heroes, and dreams. (NKA)

Describes the projects (an encounter session, drama, and a student-developed film) planned by a class in a course on mythology. (MM)

Explores the methodology and objectives of the National Assessment of Education project and draws implications from their findings in relation to writing skills. (RB)

The central concept of a new theory for teaching writing is discussed. The theory states that when students know that the elements in a writing assignment are partly of their own invention, they will be more motivated to produce interesting stories and essays. At the same time, the teacher is able to stress writing skills previously introduced.…

The drawings of Saul Steinberg can be a workable way of introducing the student to composition. Article explains how to overcome the getting started" problem. (Author)

Discusses the benefits of having regular sessions in student journal writing. (RL)