Contains specific teaching ideas of six writing teachers at community or four-year colleges. Includes suggestions on teaching grammar and punctuation, eliminating plagiarism, defining technical writing, and writing character analyses. (PRA)

This report provides information about the performance of 2010 graduating seniors who took the ACT as sophomores, juniors, or seniors; and self-reported at the time of testing that they were scheduled to graduate in 2010 and tested under standard time conditions. The ACT is designed for students who plan to attend college, and the report results…

In the present study, Vygotsky's (1978, 1986) sociocultural framework of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) and scaffolding writing (Bodrova & Leong, 1995, 1996; Ross, 1976) are used as the theoretical basis to study the development of second language writing. A course project is presented in which advanced English language learners of Spanish…

This paper discusses attempts made by the author to reinvigorate the College Honors Program at Union County College in New Jersey (UCC). Created in 1985 to offer an enriched learning experience for exceptional liberal arts students, the Honors Program helps students develop their thinking skills and achieve academic success. However, due to…

Analyzes the development of the community services function in two-year colleges through articles appearing in the "Community Services Catalyst" in 1971-76, 1977-86, and 1987-90. Highlights conflicting perceptions of the community services functions and periods of broadening and constricting community services that correspond to fiscal conditions.…

Describes teaching methods and techniques found to be useful by practicing teachers, including "Grammargrams on the Network"; "Students Write Responses to Reading Assignments"; "Letters to the Editor"; "How Students Learn What Critiques Are"; "The College Essay: A Collaborative Parody"; "What to Ignore in Peer Response"; and "The Human Side of…

Over the last two decades, teachers in Australia have witnessed multiple incarnations of the idea of "educational accountability" and its enactment. Research into this phenomenon of educational policy and practice has revealed various layers of the concept, particularly its professional, bureaucratic, political and cultural dimensions that are…

This article describes a research project into the self-efficacy and anxiety of college English students at four universities in China. A total of 738 participants completed a questionnaire measuring self-efficacy and anxiety in writing in English. This was immediately followed by a writing task. The questionnaire used a seven point Likert type…

Describes computer conferencing as a particularly useful alternative to traditional approaches to teaching college composition. Gives a basic outline of how an instructor might utilize computer networks to set up a composition course. (HB)

Presents the position statement of the Conference on College Composition and Communication Executive Committee on writing assessment in both two-year and four-year institutions. Suggests that the primary purpose of the specific assessment should govern its design, its implementation, and the generation and dissemination of its results. Provides…

Claims that writing instructors must develop student self-esteem and confidence to develop competent writing. Reflects on the first year of college teaching, in which the highlight was aiding students in boosting self-esteem. Lists some principles which nurture student self-esteem. (HB)

Schools of education at colleges and universities are still the primary source of new teachers in U.S. schools. For the last generation, however, a small but growing stream of people has been taking a different path to the front of the classroom. These new teachers are the fruit of alternative teacher certification programs, programs that quickly…

This article explores and interrogates the common practice of asking students to write personal narratives within elementary English Language Arts classrooms, addressing some of the difficulties that may arise when students are required to share personal details. Using interview and focus-group data from a study of internationally adopted children…

This paper considers the public debate surrounding assessment in English education and presents evidence of the misuse of public data from national tests. Statistics generated by pupil assessments in schools and colleges in England are argued to be subject to misinterpretation by the media and policy makers. The discourse tends either to be…

Describes a freshman writing course in which writing is taught by practice in writing. (MKM)