Ways to develop "creative automaticity" for writing in a foreign language are examined. The paper focuses on transactional writing (i.e., writing with the purpose of transferring precise information by such means as telex messages, business letters, memoranda, and short reports), and its main features of clarity and conventionality. It is noted…

This book, intended for teachers of grades 1-3, offers a step-by-step model for teaching writing. Each of the book's 15 mini-lessons includes a model lesson, lists of picture books suited to the writing skill being taught, samples of children's writing, and ideas for extending the lesson. The book's lessons cover exploring ideas for writing,…

This document offers brief lesson plans for four courses: (1) an 8-hour refresher course for employees who write memos, short reports, and letters; (2) an 8-hour refresher course on creating a short document; (3) a 16-hour course on technical manual writing; and (4) an 8-hour course on technical manual writing. The courses were part of a workplace…

Providing a way to organize and document third- through sixth-grade student writing through the use of writing folders and other organizing aids, this book is for educators who believe that writing and word processing strategies and skills are best taught as students do real writing for a variety of readers. The book includes mini-lessons to…

A study examined whether modeling desired teaching strategies would produce future teachers who could confidently go into a new classroom and set up a writing program. Four weeks of class time in a teacher education class at Northeastern University in Oklahoma were used to teach the writing process through the use of a writer's workshop. Results…

This book brings together the perspectives of teachers, administrators, consultants, and researchers on teaching writing to create a bridge between theory and practice. The book's 11 chapters are organized into three sections that tackle some persistent knots of writing instruction and assessment. Under Section I-Students' and Teachers' Learning…

Students with mild disabilities often have difficulties with organization and written performance. These students can be helped by a combination of effective instructional strategies, compensatory strategies, and technological tools. Planning and organizing tools can encourage activities such as concept mapping, story webbing, brainstorming,…

Whether they have learning disabilities or just need extra help, struggling writers can improve their skills dramatically if they get the detailed, explicit instruction they need. This practical guidebook shows elementary school teachers how to make this systematic instruction part of their classroom. Educators will find a wide range of specific…

This paper asserts that all the praise currently being lavished upon computer technology in the writing classroom should be tempered with realistic criticism. In addition to making research easier for students, the Internet makes plagiarism very easy. The author stresses that this plagiarism problem is not limited to the composition classroom, and…

The "cyberjournal" is a bridge between handwritten journals and word-processed essays that can be integrated into college courses to help students improve writing skills and maintain classwide discourse and multivoicedness through the Internet. Discusses the advantages of cyberjournals (class-centered, public, task-focused,…

A model of writing instruction integrating word processing, strategy instruction, and a process approach, within a social context for writing as a meaningful task, was tested with 113 elementary students with learning disabilities. Students in experimental classes made greater gains in quality of their narrative and informative writing than did…

Word processing presents a new, creative environment that demands a radically different approach to second-language writing. Originating, revising, and formatting are important new literacy skills that students need to make effective use of the medium. (six references) (Author/CB)

Provides college instructors with questioning strategies that encourage students' awareness of writing as decision making, and understanding of themselves as writers and as members of a broader writing community. Presents questions relating to topic selection, composition strategies, revision, critiques of other students' work, self-critiquing and…

Suggests that writing instruction for students attending residential public schools for gifted students must be tailored to this unique population. Writing instruction should include the writing conventions of various disciplines, writing for the general public, writing across the curriculum, technical writing, expressive writing, and persuasive…

This article presents practical and specific strategies for helping students with writing difficulties become successful in each of the following stages of the writing process: prewriting, writing, revising, and publishing. Recommendations include using visual images, modeling prewriting procedures, providing word banks, providing a…