Examined differences in written expression between learning-disabled and nondisabled middle school students matched by grade and sex, using eight curriculum-based measures. All of learning-disabled students had been identified as having written language deficits. Nondisabled students showed superior written expression skills, especially on…

Discusses the techniques used by an author and illustrator of children's books in visits to elementary school classrooms. The techniques use humor in the form of words that have great sounds but do not necessarily mean anything to encourage children to write and illustrate their work. (BB)

Notes that research and clinical studies have identified many relationships between various oral language processes and written language. Provides overview of findings regarding auditory receptive and expressive language processes, including phonemic discrimination, linguistic awareness, listening comprehension, word retrieval, syntax,…

In this article, I focus on a review of the existing research pertaining to the use of word processors in K-6 writing classrooms and the effects of technologies on students' writing ability. As integrated as technology appears to be in today's curriculum, the effects of using word processors for writing enhancement, instruction and practice…

Ninety-one baseline assessment schemes were approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority for use by schools for the assessment of all children in England in their first seven weeks in school (age 4 to 5 years). Analysis of the content of a sample of 42 of the schemes (comprising all the schemes supplied in full to the researchers)…

Examined the relationship between global writing quality and lower level analytic measures of writing, with a focus on cohesive indices, among 50 English-speaking Canadian fourth-graders. Results showed that both cohesive indices and lower level writing measures each accounted for a significant amount of the variance in holistic scores. (Contains…

This paper reviews the popular myths and facts about handwriting instruction and handwriting difficulties, examining two of the most common problems leading to difficulties with handwriting (dyslexia and dysgraphia). The paper also provides suggestions for helping students with handwriting difficulties. (SM)

Fourth graders whose written work received peer critiques wrote longer compositions than other students. Compared to students who wrote using pencil and paper, students who wrote using the WICAT computer program showed slight improvements in writing quality and attitude toward writing, and a slight increase in composition length. (BC)

Describes a Canadian study attempting to relate the motivating power of interest to children's writing performance by supplementing background knowledge with topic relevant information. Reports that children with tutorial support on high interest subjects performed no better than others. Concludes that the motivational power of interesting topics…

An arts-based supplemental education program was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. It was hypothesized that this classroom program would cause gains in critical thinking skills, as measured through writing ability. The program provided 87 teachers in grades 3 through 12 with a classroom set of "Arts Indiana" magazine and an accompanying…

Examines whether differences in the functional strategies of texts written by English-speaking children of concrete and low formal operations levels of intelligence also exist in texts written by Polish-speaking children. Studies fifth and eighth grade elementary school children. Concludes that formal operational subjects were better able to…

A study with 28 fourth graders, 30 eighth graders, and 30 college students demonstrates that the relationship between knowledge of the requirements of a globally coherent essay and the ability to produce such an essay generally remains statistically significant when the effect of grade level is removed. (SLD)