Writing in the Elementary Classroom: A Reconsideration.

This book presents 15 essays that consider writing development from many different angles, creating a collage that focuses on how to help students develop into competent writers. The first section of the book consists of four chapters on how to support young writers. In the second section, the essays explore how a variety of issues influence narrative and poetry writing. The third section looks at nonfiction ways to do this kind of writing effectively. The final section considers how to prepare writing to be read by an audience. Essays in Part 1, Supporting the Young Writer, are: (1) "'That's How I Used To Write My Name When I Was Little': Under-Fives Exploring Writing" (Robin Campbell); (2) "Using Nursery Rhymes, Jingles, Songs, and Poems as a Way into Writing" (Janet Evans); (3) "Do You Hear What I Hear? Helping Children Read and Spell Using Letter-Onset/Rime Analogy" (Margaret Moustafa and Rosalie Franzese); and (4) "A Place To Start from: Encouraging Bilingual Children's Writing" (Charmian Kenner). Essays in Part 2, Different Ways into Fiction and Poetry, are: (5) "Responding to Poetry through Writing" (Gervase Phinn); (6) "Writing as a Response to Literature" (David Hornsby and Lesley Wing Jan); (7) "From Reading to Writing: Using Picture Books as Models" (Maureen Lewis); (8) "The Magic of Writing with Computers" (Dawn Nulty); and (9) "Aspects of Gender: How Boys' and Girls' Experiences of Reading Shape Their Writing" (Elaine Millard). Essays in Part 3, Nonfiction Issues, are: (10) "Developing Nonfiction Writing: Beyond Writing Frames" (David Wray and Maureen Lewis); (11) "Notemaking Techniques for Young Children" (Bobbie Neate); and (12) "Using Graphic Organizers To Write Information Texts" (Steve Moline). Essays in Part 4, Getting Ready for Publication, are: (13) "Developing Understanding of Punctuation with Young Writers and Readers" (Nigel Hall); (14) "Teaching Spelling through Writing: Five Avenues" (Sandra Wilde); and (15) "Raising Awareness of Grammar through Shared Writing" (George Hunt). (RS)