This report provides outcomes for 1996-97 for Monroe Community College's Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) program, an effort designed to help students learn to write in all disciplines through writing centers staffed by trained student writing fellows. Following introductory remarks, the report provides discussions of the following topics:…

Perceptions of 48 preservice elementary education teachers concerning their own writing were examined. The weaknesses and difficulties that these University of Saskatchewan (Canada) students admitted concerning their own writing have implications for teacher education. Improvement of university students' writing should be a joint venture of…

Describes a pilot project at the Muncie (Indiana) Public Library that was developed to teach disadvantaged children basic Internet and writing skills. Topics include the need for reading and writing abilities and information-literacy skills; learning processes; computer skills; word-processing skills; and report-writing skills using a template.…

In this column, the author relates her experience as a teacher in a K-12 school in Point Hope, Alaska, where most of the students spoke "village English," a form of nonstandard English mixed with the village's native language of Inupiaq. She relates how the students' reading test scores, which had been below the 25th percentile, were…

This study examined the use of writing as an instructional methodology for enhancing Afro-American preservice teachers' knowledge of and attitudes towards teaching during their year-long field practicum experience. Data are presented relative to the interrelatedness of writing competence and cognitive complexity. Subjects (n=81) included 27…

Fifty-six Toronto (Ontario, Canada) seventh-grade and eighth-grade learning-disabled students whose handwriting was very difficult to read were randomly assigned to either an experimental or comparison group. Experimental group students were loaned a portable computer to use freely at school and at home during the course of the experiment.…

Explores whether there are unique approaches to early literacy among children reared in a rural Appalachian culture. Describes the reading/writing development of two children--both developed unique styles and approaches to literacy, stemming from home and cultural influences, and a supportive, constructivist, whole language classroom. (PA)

Developmental and criterion reading and writing measures were administered to 300 primary-level students, revealing that elimination of IQ in the definition of learning disabilities would dramatically affect who is identified as learning disabled. A two-stage assessment model analyzing absolute criteria without IQ and relative criteria with IQ is…

Examines the differences in the effectiveness of whole language and traditional instruction in end-of-the-year reading, writing, and spelling achievement for children with varying levels of incoming phonemic awareness, reading, and writing ability. Finds that neither program was more likely to close gaps between children high or low in these…

A Many-Faceted Rasch Model (FACETS) for measurement of writing ability is described, and its use in solving measurement problems in large-scale assessment is illustrated with a random sample of 1,000 students from Georgia's Eighth Grade Writing Test. It is a promising approach to assessment through written compositions. (SLD)

Argument, debate, discussion, disagreement--most teachers would agree that these skills fall well within their students' repertoire. Students are frequently energized and excited by arguments and will voluntarily elaborate on and defend their ideas. Yet put these same students to the task of writing a persuasive essay and much of that eloquence is…

This paper presents the results of a review of 26 research articles, discussing the importance, frequency, and realization of hedges in science research article. It also considers why students find hedging so difficult to master and raises implications thereof. The need to present scientific claims with precision and caution means that hedges are…

Prompted by repeated failure on a required English language proficiency test by a large proportion of undergraduates, educators at Cardinal Stritch College (Wisconsin) conducted a study to determine predictors of failure or success on the test, and whether revision of course placement standards should be considered to improve test performance.…

International students travel in many ways. First of all geographically: they move from one country to another. Secondly, they travel through their own identities: they have to find a new place in a new context by familiarizing themselves with new values and customs, while making sure they meet the requirements their studies ask of them. Writing…

A course of study was researched, designed, and implemented to improve the writing of fifth-grade students. Objectives of the program were to develop more positive feelings about writing while increasing the quantity, quality, and variety of writing. Cooperative learning and process writing was discussed with the participants, their parents, and…