Exceptional Children

Graham, Steve; Harris, Karen R.

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400601pmid: N/A

Mosenthal, Peter B.

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400602pmid: 3366149

A proliferation of definitions of writing make competing claims about the objective nature and social value of writing. This article identifies three approaches to progress that characterize educational research: literal, interpretive, and evaluative. How writing researchers have implicitly subscribed to one of these approaches is considered, as well as the scientific and social implications as they relate to the writing of exceptional children. The article concludes by arguing the need for a dialectic among educators and writing researchers.

Graham, Steve; Harris, Karen R.

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400603pmid: 3366150

This article addresses the teaching of writing, an often overlooked area in the education of exceptional students. Ten recommendations for developing an effective writing program are presented. These recommendations are based on current conceptualizations of the writing process, effective principles of writing instruction, and present knowledge of exceptional students' writing capabilities.

Englert, Carol Sue; Raphael, Taffy E.

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400604pmid: 3366151

This article addresses instructional issues related to the teaching of expository writing. Exceptional students' writing difficulties are examined in relationship to the writing process, expository text structures, and students' metacognitive knowledge. Approaches to the teaching of expository writing are discussed, and a dialogic approach, involving teacher modeling and a series of think sheets, is described.

Bos, Candace S.

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400605pmid: 3366152

Process-oriented approaches to teaching writing have gained considerable influence in the last decade. This article briefly describes the theoretical bases for process-oriented approaches to teaching writing and presents six instructional features which can provide the scaffolding for developing writing programs for exceptional students.

Isaacson, Stephen

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400606pmid: 3366153

Assessment of writing skills must focus on the writing product in order to satisfy four educational functions: identifying unsuccessful writers, planning instruction, monitoring student progress, and giving feedback. Within the last 25 years, various researchers have tested the validity of simple direct measures that correspond to five important aspects of the writing product: fluency, content, conventions, syntax, and vocabulary. Measures for each of these components, both qualitative and quantitative, are discussed.

MacArthur, Charles A.

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400607pmid: 2966735

Computers are powerful and flexible writing tools that can have a significant impact on the writing process and on the social context for writing in the schools. This article examines the key features of word processing, reviews the research on word processing, and discusses other computer applications that can support writing instruction.

Goldman, Susan R.; Rueda, Robert

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400608pmid: 3366154

Two approaches to writing, cognitive-developmental and functional-interactive, are reviewed, and implications for instruction targeted at bilingual exceptional children are suggested. Both approaches stress the use of goal-directed and meaningful writing tasks, such as dialogue journals and narrative writing, in which the teacher provides interactional scaffolding for learning activities. Two illustrative research projects consistent with these views are described.

Moran, Mary Ross

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400609pmid: 3366155

Students deprived of composition instruction—because reading took higher priority—comprise a special population of writers. They profit from a program that builds discourse units, uses student-generated language, and incorporates self-evaluation. Such a program leads inexperienced writers systematically into increased productivity as they progress toward more global planning of compositions.

Newcomer, Phyllis; Nodine, Barbara; Barenbaum, Edna

doi: 10.1177/001440298805400610pmid: 3366156

The research and instructional recommendations in this issue are aimed at further understanding of the process model. The implications for teaching writing are discussed in terms of roles for the teacher and the learner. Recommendations for domains of future research are presented.