A Computer Tutor for Writers (CTW) was designed to provide procedural facilitation to high school students while they learn the skills and knowledge associated with composition writing. Four previous year-long studies helped identify how to facilitate specific elements of the writing process. The CTW was designed to combine lessons learned from…

This report summarizes data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which has been monitoring the scholastic achievement of America's 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds since 1969. The 1990 NAEP trend data provide several ways of describing changes in student achievement in each curriculum area. For science, mathematics, and reading,…

A study examined the progress of the second year of a 3-year literacy project in which undergraduate students enrolled in methods courses used children's literature during reading instruction of urban children, grades K-8 considered at-risk due to conditions of poverty. The entire school population participated in the project along with the…

A study investigated the writing of incipient bilinguals (students who were in the initial process of acquiring a second language). A total of four Chinese-speaking children were chosen for final, in-depth study over a 2-year period at a middle school in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Data included initial interviews and observations,…

In 1982, writing was added to the North Carolina Annual Testing Program. Results from the 1990-91 writing evaluations in grades 6 and 8 are reported. Tests were read by two readers, with an agreement rate of over 71%. In 1990-91, sixth-grade students were asked to describe a kitchen so that readers could picture it. Quality was determined on the…

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data for 9-, 13-, and 17-year-old students in the United States are provided, highlighting trends in science achievement from 1969-70 to 1990, mathematics achievement from 1973 to 1990, reading achievement from 1971 to 1990, and writing achievement from 1984 to 1990. Trends in academic proficiency…

Adult basic education programs, sometimes called adult basic and secondary education programs, typically serve adults over the age of sixteen who do not have a high school diploma and are no longer eligible for traditional secondary education programs. Although adult basic education (ABE) is situated apart from the elementary, secondary, and…

Reports on a study of 126 secondary English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students' transfer of essay organization skills between languages (Icelandic and English). Pre- and posttest proficiency scores were analyzed. It was concluded that students' success in transferring writing skills between languages is assisted by their grammatical proficiency…

The Baltimore City Public School System's (BCPSS) Grade 9 Transition Program was implemented in 2001-02. It is designed to increase student achievement in an era of No Child Left Behind federal legislation by providing additional time and learning opportunities for eighth-grade students who have not met all promotion standards established by the…

The article presents the cultural background, methodological design, theory, and results of a comprehensive research project where the doxa and textual norms of the judges at the national writing exam in Norway were studied. The background of the study is the quite comprehensive reforms in Norway of the way writing is taught in the upper secondary…

A study was conducted to identify and analyze the writing strategies of eighth- and ninth-grade black and white students on the 1983-84 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Black students, who were from an urban area in New Jersey, had also taken the New Jersey High School Proficiency Test (NJHSPT). Following an initial study that…

This paper reviews the research on use of collaborative writing teaching methods at the postsecondary level. Following a brief summary of the theoretical framework of collaborative writing, the paper examines the research on the six features of collaborative writing most used in classrooms: disclosure, which encourages students to engage in deep…

The Connecticut Mastery Test is a critical element of the state's efforts to attain educational equity and excellence. The testing program assesses essential skills in mathematics and language arts, including listening, reading, and writing for grades 4, 6, and 8. Student achievement is measured and reported in relation to specific learning…

The evaluation process and results of the 1989-1990 secondary school (grades 6 through 12) English language arts program of the Des Moines (Iowa) Independent Community School District are presented. This evaluation gathers, focuses, and communicates information that is useful for continuously monitoring the quality of the language arts program.…

This report presents and analyzes data from the 2004-05 school year related to the characteristics of charter schools in Colorado, including student achievement and school performance. The purpose, methodology and growth of charter schools in the state is discussed, followed by an overview of the background and mandates of the Colorado Charter…