This review of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Writing Programs was undertaken for several reasons, among them the rapid increase of research in writing, the inconsistency among courses, and the need to reshape and expand the programs. The report begins with a summary of earlier reviews of UCLA's composition program. Following a…

To teach creative writing effectively, teachers must be writers themselves and be willing to pass on their tricks of the trade to students. Conducted to determine what structures existed to help teachers pass on their skills, a survey of creative writing in high schools in the Chicago suburban area revealed a continuum, with only one school having…

Noting that using correct verb forms is a problem for many elementary school students, and especially for those who are speakers of nonstandard English, this paper presents an instructional program for teaching past and past participle verb forms in writing to students in grade 3 through 6. The paper outlines the content of the instructional…

This study examines eight evaluative abstracts on grammar instruction, to determine the effects of such instruction on student writing and to trace the development of sentence-combining instruction, which helps students write with increased syntactic maturity. On the basis of the evaluative abstracts, the study concludes that traditional grammar…

Curriculum development efforts for English instruction over the past 20 years are reviewed, and an "inside-outside" approach that uses the structure of the discipline, or its inner core, to guide curriculum development is suggested. Three principles--metaphoric thinking, writing as reconstruction of experience, and language in context--would…

Describes the Language Development Project--the first national curriculum project in language education in Australia. (HOD)

Reports on a national survey examining the current institutional situation of "advanced composition" courses. Finds (1) doubt about the institutional future of such courses; (2) a wide variety of course content and points of focus; (3) theoretical divisions among teachers of such courses; and (4) positive perceptions of the relationship…

Studies the transcripts of classroom discussions taking place in a college English class. Reveals the similarities and differences in the perceptions of the students and teachers of what actually took place. Gives insight into the nature of classroom talk. Analyzes student comments produced in a student-centered discussion approach to literature…

When teaching writing, most high school English teachers encourage students to express their feelings. The paper discusses the evolution of process writing, which is a belief that writing is a process of discovery and not a product. The paper questions process writing, suggesting it adversely affects clarity, structure, and thought. (SM)

Reports on a three-year study conducted by two site directors of the National Writing Project in northern Arizona. Examines the effects, both immediate and longitudinal, of the Summer Institute on the fellows' attitudes and concerns about teaching writing. Shows that significant progress was made over time. Illustrates this claim with a case…

Examines research findings concerning information technology's importance and impact in English studies and instruction in the United Kingdom. Emphasizes how English teaching and politics are always closely related to one another. Reaffirms the value and importance of research. (HB)

Describes collaborative study done by a prekindergarten teacher, staff developer, and college teacher educator utilizing a highly integrated curriculum whose core was multiple symbol systems. Notes focus on literacy as well as beginnings of writing and reading. Concludes that within the context of high-stakes schooling, the teacher managed to…

This book offers teachers a convenient means of broadening their understanding of various kinds of composition theory and the steadily emerging field of teacher research by high school and college instructors. The book is designed to arouse individual teachers' interest in composition theory and encourage them to learn about and participate in…

This report describes the procedures used by a New Jersey high school English department of 15 teachers to improve the critical thinking skills of their students and thus allow the students to assume greater autonomy in their learning. Emphasis was placed on improving critical thinking skills of the students through literature and writing…

In studying the lyrics of popular music, and particularly aspects of violent attitudes toward women, teachers discover what language represents to students and what students experience through the songs. The texts created about artifacts like song lyrics suggest more about the students as knowers than about the objects being studied. Exploring…