Reports on an investigation into the types of writing placement that institutions are currently using, in addition to the kinds of writing courses offered. Outlines current writing placement procedures in hope of spurring further professional conversations concerning these practices. (HB)

Traces some of the historical developments which led to the current state of English instruction in colleges in Britain. Describes a series of ideological and institutional struggles that have marked the field since its inception. Sees these struggles as still raging within the discipline. (HB)

Explains the British government's suppression of the LINC (Language in the National Curriculum) training package materials. Discusses the significance of some of the training materials which will not be published because of the government's actions. (HB)

Provides a personal account of Great Britain's National Curriculum Committee's English Evaluation Project based at Warwick University. Describes the way the interim and final results of the committee were used by higher powers. (HB)

Examines collaborative pedagogy in English departments in the United States in two contrasting decades, the 1930s and the 1950s. Focuses on the practices discussed in three English journals: "English Journal,""College English," and "College Composition and Communication." (HB)

Discusses the processes by which students think through and compose essays. Shows how writers often begin with the conclusion, or the ending. Provides a basic three-step model which allows students to analyze literary works systematically, with the objective of producing organized essays. (HB)

Uses the example of service learning to examine connections between and definitions of public and private as they are deployed in writing, literacy studies, and the field of English. Argues that, done effectively, service learning fits well into an English Studies that is reconsidering its own boundaries and internal relationships. (RS)

Having celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2005, the Advanced Placement (AP) program has received quite a bit of attention in the past few years due mainly to its exponential growth in popularity. While much of this attention has been positive, a significant amount of criticism has attacked the assumptions of the AP program, aligning it with…

As English departments face the 90s and beyond, the pressure will only rise to define and justify the role of the English professor in the academy. Three current debates suggest the indeterminate future of English departments, which now represent a multi-faceted discipline. First, the canon debate must be resolved; second, the teaching role of the…

Current changes in health care professions requiring practitioners to have more and better communications skills are necessitating the integration of writing into the health curricula of higher education programs. At Ferris State University, a number of models (in Optometry, Dental Hygiene, Health Systems Management, Nursing, Pharmacy, Medical…

To assess the value of professional writing internships, a pilot study at Michigan State University will administer pre- and post-tests to students involved in internships, as well as to control groups composed of professional writing majors who do not participate in internships, and other English majors following a traditional curriculum of…

This report describes a computer-assisted writing laboratory project integrating Model Curriculum Standards (teacher-developed instructional literature guides integrating the reading of core pieces of literature with the writing process), the writing process, computer hardware and software, and staff development. The report estimates that in the…

Intended for writing instructors at all educational levels, the chapters in this collection discuss the philosophy and principles of the teaching of writing in an effort to capitalize on the current public interest in writing. Chapter topics are (1) the basics of teaching writing; (2) teaching the composing process; (3) writing assignments and…

Asserts that Basil Bernstein, a British educational sociologist, provides answers to questions about the real beneficiaries of various educational reforms. States that Bernstein's later essays can be read as variations on a single theme: not all change is progress, not all existing practice is reaction. (MS)

Contrasts the traditional theory of composition with the new process theory of writing and concludes that the popularity of the new theory (with its student-centered teacher) is probably due to the compatibility of educationist theory with the unphilosophical temper of the age. (NKA)