Examines the effect of news writing instruction on the attitudes and writing performance of students in English composition classes. Finds the only significant difference between treatment and control groups is students' perception of the practicality of the writing instruction they received. (SR)

Investigates the effect on postsecondary students of the belief that writing ability is a gift. Finds that higher levels of belief in giftedness correlate with higher levels of writing apprehension, lower self-assessments of writing ability, and lower levels of confidence. Suggests that the belief in giftedness may have deleterious effects on…

Reflects on three major issues that confronted researchers conducting a comparative study of achievement in written composition as they attempt to measure performance in writing across many languages and cultures. Concludes that most assessments of writing simply measure perceived drafting quality, which is a highly subjective judgment. (MG)

Suggests that many "writing disabilities" derive from too little time allocated to writing instruction or from instruction inadequately designed for learning needs of students. Reviews characteristics of students with learning disabilities. Recommendations are given for effectively teaching writing to a broad range of students. Discusses…

Fifth-grade students with learning disabilities who were good (n=12) and poor (n=11) handwriters and 56 matched controls were asked to copy text under two conditions, quickly and neatly. Students with learning disabilities were not as capable of increasing writing speed and demonstrated a slower rate of speed. (Author/CR)

Replicates a previous study by Cole, et al. (1997b), which demonstrated that the type of stimulus used to elicit a written response had a marked impact for items measuring organization, unity, and coherence. The replicated study sample, consisting of 29 middle school students, produced comparable results to the Cole, et al. study. (Author/GCP)

This article describes the development and evaluation of a five-item writing assessment for persons with age-related vision loss. It provides a standard for measuring the baseline ability and the effectiveness of interventions to improve the writing ability of this population.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how 23 fourth-grade students with different writing abilities translated their teacher's literacy instruction into an understanding of audience awareness when writing for Internet publication. As part of their classroom literacy instruction, students learned the textual features indicative of different…

In this paper, the role of computers in writing process was investigated. Last 25 years of journals were searched to find related articles. Articles and books were classified under prewriting, composing, and revising and editing headings. The review results showed that computers can make writers' job easy in the writing process. In addition,…

This article provides a rebuttal of a critique by the original authors of an article (EC 633 617-619) on the use of facilitated communication by a Finnish man diagnosed with mental retardation and cerebral palsy. The original authors ask for an alternative explanation to the attributed authorship when the individual himself is doing the typing.…

Looks at three-year-old children's writing samples as a basis to discuss developmental stages in writing. Samples are categorized as scribbling, horizontal scribbling, discrete units, letters, or correct spelling. Practical applications of these stages are presented for teachers. (PCB)

Examines young children's emerging abilities to organize their written language performance under different writing conditions, before they are able to read and write conventionally. (PCB)

Writing involves two abilities, only one of which can be taught. Competence, which cannot be taught, is unconscious knowledge of language, which is acquired by hearing it repeatedly. The second ability, performance, can be taught to those with competence. Its components are confidence, process knowledge, and reinforcement. (JOW)

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines are first reviewed and analyzed, followed by an analysis of the Spanish language writing produced by students at a very selective, private university who were enrolled at different levels of Spanish language study. (75 references) (LB)

Evaluates external and diagnostic validity of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf Writing Test. Supports its external validity but does not support the diagnostic validity of this and other writing tests of the same basic design. (SR)