Focusing on both the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching children and adolescents to write effectively, the papers in this report originated as speeches delivered at a conference on English and language arts instruction. The 12 papers deal with the following topics: the composing process as communication, the cognitive and biological aspects of composing, the relationship of the professional to the child and the writing process, modes of response to student writing, how to use focus in the writing process, what children say about their writing, the effect of external events on children's choices of writing topics, three effective writing programs, children's interests in writing, an ongoing formative evaluation of student writing, differences in the written expression of boys and girls, and the writing process in the open classroom. (MAI)