Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk of academic difficulties and special education placement (Barkley, 1998). One academic area, written expression, has received little research attention. This study assessed the effectiveness of a validated strategy instruction model--Self-Regulated Strategy…

Focused freewriting, broadly defined as writing without stopping and editing about a specific topic, has been viewed and used as a powerful tool for developing student writing in a wide spectrum of educational contexts. This study aimed to further explore the use of focused freewriting in the context of promoting students' academic skills…

This paper uses three nuances of "informs." Firstly, it argues that writing forms (or shapes) science and science learning through the textual practices that are available to interpret and allowable to produce. These writing genres shape science discourse and must be challenged because available texts construct science as a rational…

Studying the life of Langston Hughes in the context of how to teach freshman composition can shed light on two sometimes conflicting pedagogies, the expressivist and the social-constructionist. A discouraging period of fierce criticism, illness, depression, and financial woes coincided with Hughes' 39th birthday, which his biographer Arnold…

Students work most productively when they feel free to move back and forth from ignoring audience to addressing it. Students should consider audience as they begin a writing task. Then they should get away from it all and simply write. If they find an audience inhibiting, they should feel free to ignore the idea of audience altogether or alter…

Topic knowledge, discourse knowledge, and contextual awareness are now considered crucial for "good writing" by many writing researchers. It is time for writing instructors to stop conducting composition classes as though substantive knowledge is a far lesser issue than "rhetorical skill." Composition teachers can offer…

Intended for college students, this book of readings, exercises, and advice focuses on issues of special relevance to college students and the general tasks of writing in college. The book is divided into eight sections, each of which contains a "classic" essay, a student essay, and a how-to essay, as well as 8 to 10 other essays on the…

In this video, an educator models efficient peer writing conferences in a third-grade classroom. The video demonstrates peer conferencing at work and its value in the daily writing workshop. An important sharing technique is included in the model. Key concepts are listed and reiterated. The model presented in the video may be used at any grade…

This paper is the first of two that present strategies for writing successful higher education grant proposals. The strategies include making a convincing commitment, adding a unique angle, being flexible, using every available opportunity to gather information about available funds, and making the proposal economically reasonable. (SM)

Argues that news-writing instruction that relies on explicit rules is inadequate because: (1) rule violations are common; (2) some rules work well only in particular situations; and (3) some rules overgeneralize. Identifies the difficulty of teaching students to develop a "good ear" for writing. Concludes that instruction must balance…

Compares an "uncluttered" writing portfolio to a wise investment. Describes methods for saving words, or "tightening" an essay, such as using firm verbs and nouns, maneuvering active and passive tense, and making every word count. (PA)

Argues for teaching students to write leads that stress unusual story features and can be used as a peg to hang the rest of the story on. Recommends the use of student writing models, accounts by professional writers about lead writing, and instruction in the rhetorical strategy of contrast/dissonance. (PAA)

By reporting three in-depth case studies of adults with learning disabilities, this article clarifies how Strategic Content Learning (SCL) instruction is implemented to promote strategic writing, illustrates how SCL instructional principles can be personalized in response to individuals' needs, and traces the relationships between SCL…

An effective way to conduct writing conferences and support primary students in writing is to find questions that encourage more thinking and writing as they work. Four strategies include: avoiding yes/no questions, encouraging students to value work, evaluating many writing samples, and refocusing in conferences. The paper offers sample writing…

Reports on a study in which students with and without learning disabilities wrote persuasive essays about controversial topics. One group of students was given an elaborated goal that included explicit subgoals based on the elements of argumentation. Sixth-grade students in the elaborated goal condition produced more persuasive essays and included…