Discusses orality as an historical feature of African American language habits. Provides historical evidence of the literate values and habits of African Americans since the early 1800s. Resists the tendency to deny variation in the habits and values of ethnic groups. (HB)

Attempts to use a construct of literary theory to solve a linguistic problem: the notion of narrative perspective to explain tense variation in Bulgarian narrative. The specific phenomenon of variation is between the past indefinite and the indirect tenses in passages where all the verb forms should be indirect. (24 references) (Author/CK)

Examined writers' use of lexical repetition changes in relation to writing topic, cultural background, and development of writing ability. Multiple regression analysis indicates writing ability measures are the most important variables for predicting changes in repetition usage, with less significant effects found for cultural background.…

In both the Outer Circle and the Expanding Circle countries, books which provide examples of letters written in English and guidelines for writing these letters are available for students, business people, and any others who have an interest or need for writing such letters. These model letters are not only for business correspondence, but also…

This book presents the essentials of good writing in an easy-to-follow 4-part process. The first step discussed in the book, "Using Your Noodle," guides the student through the preparatory thinking process (audience awareness, brainstorming, grouping thoughts). The second step, "Following a Format," presents the challenge of…

Focusing on a meeting held in January 1983, this pamphlet describes the Forum on the Productivity of Plain English, from which grew the permanent Plain English Forum, which is committed to spreading the message that plain English is good business. The pamphlet includes quotations from leaders in business and industry explaining why they feel that…

Three characteristics of school writing activities that may make it difficult for students to learn to write with skill and enthusiasm are identified in this paper. They are: the solitary nature of most writing tasks, a lopsided emphasis on low-level details of text such as grammar and spelling, and the isolation of writing from reading in the…

This discussion delineates five criteria for judging the usefulness of linguistic and psycholinguistic theories. To be of value, a theory must suggest ways of teaching and evaluating language use, it must account both for the meaning of sentences in context and for meaning generated by the relationship between sentences in text, it must allow for…

This paper argues that the writing process consists of perception, recognition of the limits and resources of language, and development of the ability to capitalize on the resources of language to express our perceptions at any given moment. Perception includes two essential aspects of good writing, specific detail and interpretation of the…

Working on the premise that the homogeneous grouping of students based on student performance, testing, and recommendations can enable students to develop to their fullest potential, this English curriculum guide for grades seven through twelve is arranged to cover high and/or average achieving students and low achieving students. The guide is…

The competencies established for the language arts program for kindergarten through sixth grade in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, are listed in this document, which indicates grade levels for introducing particular skills, developing skills, and mastering skills. Tests to assist teachers in measuring students' progress in listening comprehension,…

These newsletters, produced during the first year of activity of a special committee of the National Council of Teachers of English, focus on the back-to-the-basics movement as it affects the teaching of English. The first newsletter describes the establishment of SLATE as an action wing of the council. The other seven deal in turn with specific…

Points to weaknesses in the current educational system and outlines proposed standards and curriculum requirements for an ideal program for English majors. (GT)

A warning about the alarming situation in which written Spanish finds itself, not only in the daily press but even in more literary publications. More and more popular expressions and corruptions are finding their way into the written language. Attention to this situation is recommended. (Text is in Spanish.) (AMH)