Talks about the "writing from the heart" practiced in one sixth-grade classroom by students and teacher, for many different purposes. Describes instructional approaches that encourage such writing. (SR)

Results of a study of 93 sixth graders indicated that peer feedback seemed to have positive effects on writing quality. Findings also suggest that students are able to significantly improve surface structure quality within a multiple-draft process both with and without the benefit of peer feedback. (IAH)

Offers a brief look at a graduate student's on-line correspondence with three sixth-grade pen pals. Offers advice about adult-student pen pal relationships. (SR)

Discusses techniques and lessons used to assist students in reading with a writer's eye, observing the world with a writer's eye, and developing the craft of writing, including the writer's notebook; grabber leads; show, not tell; unforgettable language; and voice. Notes that developing a community of writers is essential to the successful use of…

Explores how dialog writing, in which two participants "converse in writing," incorporates the interactive aspects of oral communication and the self-directed aspects of essay writing. Includes passages written over a year's time by a sixth grade student in a "dialogue journal" showing the development of his writing. (HTH)

Describes how, when a working writer visited a sixth-grade classroom on an ongoing basis to interact with students, the language and activities of the writing community changed in interesting and positive ways. (SR)

A practicum was developed and implemented to help identify, give direction to, and build self-motivation in high ability sixth-grade students attending a magnet school in a progressive, fast-growing southwestern school district. It was felt that students must be in the driver's seat for them to have ownership for working up to their potential.…

Describes how one teacher worked with a learning-disabled sixth grader, who benefited from the opportunity to write about what he knew and cared about. (SR)

Investigates the effectiveness of study guides (called Expository Passage Organizers) in improving sixth graders' reading and writing. Finds that such study guides, which highlighted the structures of textbooks, made a significant and positive difference in reading and writing performance. (SR)

Describes how one sixth-grade language arts class joined a computer network where students could exchange writing about topics they selected for themselves. Shows how students' excitement grew and how their writing skills improved naturally. (SR)

A practicum used computers to improve the use of standard English and the attitude towards writing of a group of middle school students in a predominantly Nicaraguan neighborhood in a large metropolitan area. The project was directed towards 32 sixth- to eighth-graders of average ability who were enrolled in an introductory computer…

A reading comprehension program was developed and implemented that addressed the needs of sixth-grade students. The program focused on critical thinking skills using a teamwork approach. Each heterogeneous small group used a checklist composed of before, during, and after reading questions and activities. At the conclusion of the 12-week…

Hypothesizing that students choosing their own topics would produce significantly more writing, a study examined the writing sample length of 42 sixth grade students who had been divided equally into two treatment groups. Treatments were counterbalanced so that during the first writing period students in one group wrote on topics they had selected…

This action research project describes a program to increase the basic writing ability and improve the attitude of sixth grade students. The targeted classroom was located in a unit district 45 miles northwest of a large metropolitan area. The district's population consists of a large amount of minority students and low-income families. Evidence…

Observes that changes in the pattern of social interactions in classrooms as a result of computers may be even more significant than any simple technological effect. Illustrates the point with an example of sixth-grade writing on the QUILL software system, and the student's increased peer interaction and audience awareness. (HTH)