No Better Way to Teach Writing

This inspiring report details the impressive results achieved by 27 teachers in the St. George Writing Project, a year-long Australian trial of the "conference approach" to the teaching of written expression. There was unanimous agreement that the method was surprisingly successful. The children found that they enjoyed writing and they made rapid progress in writing skills. It was noted that they read so much writing that reading improved as well, and their spelling kept pace with the gains in writing. The teachers also found that the children's general confidence as learners rose, with the writing/reading of E.S.L. children especially benefitting. Even so-called "remedial" learners showed swift language advances. The "conference approach" is full of common sense ideas and needs no financial outlay - no classroom texts or kits or hardware. Its only essentials are paper, pens and a teacher willing to learn the method and have a go at it!