A study of two groups of students at Sacramento City College (California) was undertaken in Fall, 1978, to determine whether the holistic approach to the teaching of basic writing (involving the techniques of free writing, writing from stimulus words, and controlled composition) could result in more significant gains in fluency and reduction of…

This report of a year-long writing project that involved over 1,600 junior and senior high school students concludes that students taught by teachers trained in writing as a process showed significant improvement over students of teachers who were not so trained. The report describes the goals and objectives of the New Jersey Writing Project, the…

These suggested teaching practices for the junior high school are in the form of reprinted journal articles and special reports from classroom teachers. Ideas for teaching composition deal specifically with descriptive, narrative, and creative writing; helping students develop their imaginations; assigning topics for compositions; and evaluating…

This workbook-primer is designed for teaching beginning readers the most frequently used letters of the St. Lawrence Island Yupik language. This book covers the first simple twenty-six symbols. Each page contains a letter, at least one illustration for that letter, and lined spaces for writing practice. (AMH)

This paper analyzes short stories written in English and French by French immersion pupils at the Grade 3 level. Their English writing skills are compared to those of Grade 3 pupils in a regular English program. Aspects of their writing skills which are examined include vocabulary skills, technical skills (punctuation, capitalization and…

This study investigated the validity of various approaches to the measurement of English composition skills. Over 600 11th and 12th-grade students were asked to write five 20-minute essays on different topics, to take six objective tests of writing ability, and to do two interlinear exercises. Twenty-five experienced readers assigned scores of…

This assessment of the current state of preparation of teachers of composition points out deficiencies in programs and suggests ways to improve them. It defines composition as both oral and written discourse; describes the actual job of teaching composition; defends John Dixon's thesis that experience should be the focus for teaching composition;…

This article summarizes major research in the teaching and learning of written composition from the elementary grades through college. The research is discussed under the following headings: (1) "History to 1900," (2) "Objectives and Curriculum: 1900-1935," (3) "Influences on the Curriculum: 1935-1965," (4) "Difficulties in Research," (5)…

This book suggests that first graders could express themselves on paper more easily and naturally if they were taught the Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.). The chapters take up (1) the neglect of writing skills in a reading-oriented nation, (2) a comparison of the writing performance of students who learned the i.t.a. with that of students who…

A desirable approach and sequence for the presentation of rhetorical principles to students of junior high school age is outlined. Principles of invention, logical ordering, strategy, and style are discussed with special reference to writing models, developing skills of observation, audience consideration, and precise diction. Specific objectives…

The thesis that style through the manner of expression provides the writer or speaker with the matter of his discourse is the subject of these eight essays. Articles are by (1) Louis T. Milic, who explores the implication of stylistic theory for the teaching of composition, (2) Martin Joos, who relates style theories to the national enthusiasm for…

The major hypothesis tested in this investigation was that college students using audiovisual aids and current reading materials would achieve greater competency in composition than would students taught by conventional methods. The "STEP Writing Test," the "STEP Reading Test," and writing samples were used for evaluation. Also tested were the…

The first section of this report describes the follow-up program designed to determine any improvements in the teaching of English language and composition achieved by participants of the NDEA Institute at State University College Cortland, N. Y., 1968. It covers (1) the background and planning of the program, (2) school visitations of the summer…

This news letter summarizes language research in composition, writing skills, and linguistic usage carried out over a three year period (Grades 4, 5, 6) with a sample of Swedish students. Subjective assessment of student compositions was carried out. The marks from these assessments will serve as criteria in evaluating various objective measures.…

This thesis describes a method for teaching English composition, with the parallel development of comprehension skills, to students in the Middle East Technical University. A survey of techniques for teaching English composition to foreign students is provided along with a discussion of the steps usually followed in writing instruction. The…