Science fiction (SF) combines realistic and imaginary elements of science and technology and develops students' imagination, creativity, and interest in science. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine SF stories written by pre-service science teachers (PSTs) in terms of various textual and science variables. The case study of SF story…

Describes a game which can be used to acquaint students with the basic elements of narrative fiction. (DD)

Despite claims that Creative Writing and Composition don't speak to one another, this article finds that composition does borrow fictional craft elements and artistic tools. Moreover, these devices and tools show up in composition pedagogy in two ways: explicitly or implicitly. Many of the tools found come from fiction writers and poets, while…

Despite claims that Creative Writing and Composition don't speak to one another, this article finds that composition does borrow fictional craft elements and artistic tools. Moreover, these devices and tools show up in composition pedagogy in two ways: explicitly or implicitly. Many of the tools found come from fiction writers and poets, while…

Tom Nicholson and Sue Dymock analysed research on teaching writing to identify the skills students need to write for impact. Their approach is based on a simple view of writing: it is ideas presented well. The two volumes of this book work together to explain and show teachers how to teach students these essential writing skills. Nicholson and…

This issue of "Classroom Notes Plus" contains descriptions of original, unpublished teaching practices, and of adapted ideas. Under the "Ideas from the Classroom" section, the August 2003 issue (v21 n1) contains the following materials: Reading Poetry with Wright's "Black Boy" (David Fuder); Finding Poetry Lost in Translation (James Penha); "Lord…

Readers often think of nonfiction as an information experience and not as a story experience, and indeed many nonfiction titles are task oriented, teaching readers how to knit or outlining the process of building a fence. But there is a huge body of nonfiction that is both informative and story-based. New nonfiction classics like Jon Krakauer's…

The Dewey Center Community Writing Project is a community-based, summer writing program collaboratively designed by students, teachers, and community members in Detroit's inner-city. During the first summer of the project, fifth- through seventh-grade students, primarily from the Jeffries Homes (or "Projects") worked with seven teachers…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a two-phase intervention programme meant to reinforce comprehension of the structural framework of stories among 92 preschool children (aged 4-6 years) over 4 months. During the first phase, the children were called upon to produce their own original stories following the "Story…

According to the author, an experienced editor, teacher, and writer of children's literature, the purpose of this book is threefold: to present a broader view of children's literature, to show the wide range of children's literature, and to reveal the opportunities available for writing children's literature. The chapters discuss: (1) attitudes…

This article reconsiders theoretical claims of identity fluidity, stability, and agency through a longitudinal case study investigating one adolescent's writing over time and across spaces. Qualitative data spanning her four years of high school were collected and analyzed using a grounded theory approach with literacy-and-identity theory…

This article features a case study of the written and illustrative text produced by one Grade 7 student, Stefinia, and discusses the metaleptic transgressions evident in the book she created as the culminating activity of a research project. Stefinia was a participant in a classroom-based study that explored how developing students' knowledge of…

In this article, the authors introduce the "virtual dream", a technique that entails writing a brief, spontaneous dreamlike story on themes of loss, using a flexible set of assigned elements of setting and characterization to scaffold the writing. After providing several examples of virtual dreams written by workshop participants, the authors…

Forty novelists share their ideas and experience on various aspects of writing book-length fiction in this volume. Problems of technique, plotting, theme, characterization, planning, flashbacks, pace, suspense, dialogue, setting, and point of view are discussed by these contemporary authors. Some of the chapters and authors include: (1)…

This manual is intended for teachers using the Project Success Enrichment (PSE) program to teach language arts to gifted and typical elementary school students. Following an introduction that outlines the purposes and objectives set forth in the Project Success Enrichment: Language Arts Introductory Unit, this component focuses on the short story…