The popular emphasis on expository writing is denigrating the place of literature, especially poetry, in the English curriculum. If unchallenged, this new wave will create students who are incapable of responding to the uncertainties and dreams of human existence. (KS)

This paper contains descriptions of documents setting forth the minimum communications skills competencies required for high school graduation in seven states: Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Utah. It then describes the procedures used to compile a synthesized list from those documents for use in a project to assess…

This paper describes basic skills in terms of three stages of the writing process: drafting, editing, and preservation. During the drafting stage, the basics are those skills and attitudes necessary to release the students' powers of expression. It is basic that they learn how to start and maintain a flow of words and ideas, how to use various…

Consists of four articles on teaching basic skills in vocational agriculture classes. Topics include (1) a survey of the current situation, (2) developing the "new" basic skills for a changing society, and (3) teaching writing skills. (CH)

Critiques the recent report "Writing Mechanics, 1969-1974," which describes a project sponsored by the National Assessment of Educational Progress to evaluate students' writing ability. (KS) Aspect of National Assessment (NAEP) dealt with in this document: Results (Interpretation).

Eliminating errors is neither as simple nor as important as back-to-basics critics believe; however, correctness does need to be considered in composition instruction. Error affects a reader's judgment of writing quality and interferes with the communication between reader and writer. It may also hinder the composing process of some writers. Major…

Intended as an aid to teachers of composition, this course guide focuses on the minimum essentials of writing included in elective courses at two general grade levels: 9-10 and 11-12. Emphasizing quality in composition rather than quantity, the guide provides a scheme of sequential composition experiences and suggests individualized instruction,…

After considering the implications of the back-to-the-basics movement, the author concludes that there is little value in going "back" to approaches such as those typical of traditional grammar instruction. Instead, he suggests that sentence combining offers a basic approach to the teaching of writing. An experiment which began with four classes…

Uses history of the teaching of English at Yale to put the back-to-the-basics movement in historical perspective. (AA)

Home economics teachers have always taught basic skills, but they must learn to identify clearly how basic skills are incorporated into classes, how skills are taught effectively, and how to publicize the fact. Various examples using reading, writing, and mathematics skills are provided. (CH)

Argues that all teachers need to teach basic skills in their subject areas. Article makes suggestions for the improvement of students' reading, understanding, and written work in the social studies classroom. Suggestions include previewing textbooks for potential problems, use of oral reading, and teaching main and subordinate idea distinctions.…

Teaching students to write effectively for an audience involves students learning to talk freely in class until the teacher becomes one member of an audience, not an audience of one. The system works in a supportive, nonthreatening environment where the teacher admits his vulnerability and enters the learning-coping process as its guide. (JMF)

This paper cites articles in the popular press that agree that there is a "writing crisis" in the United States, and it notes the lack of general agreement on solutions for the problem. Articles by writers in the English profession are then examined with reference to the writers' views on the seriousness of the writing crisis, reasons…

Eleventh-grade students from 11 high schools participated in this study of the effect of beginning shorthand on language arts skills. Pre- and posttests drawn from the California Achievement Test for Language Arts were administered to experimental groups and control groups in September and April of the 1974-75 academic year. Results indicated that…

High school students can and should be proficient in using such basic skills as reading, writing, computational skills, thinking, and listening. Here are five guides for accomplishing this goal. (Author/RK)