A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers

Rating:
Summary: Useful and Readable Review of Composition Theory
Review: I have found this book to be well received by students preparing to teach HS English classes, as well as people already in the classroom. It covers thoroughly all the major aspects of composition theory in a succint and careful way, with lots of examples and good bibliography. For anyone who really wants to know what we have learned from comp theory in the last 25 years, this is a good book. It is not a how-to, and does not offer detailed ideas for the classroom; it is based on principles and research.

Rating:
Summary: Very straightforward approach to teaching comp
Review: Lindemann's book is well organized and developed, and provides many practial examples of the theories she discusses. If you had to pick one book to use for a teaching comp class, this would be the one to pick. For a more in-depth study, combine this book with Irene Clark's "Concepts in Composition," which is a more theoretical and historically-based explanation of composition concepts.

Rating:
Summary: Very straightforward approach to teaching comp
Review: Lindemann's book is well organized and developed, and provides many practial examples of the theories she discusses. If you had to pick one book to use for a teaching comp class, this would be the one to pick. For a more in-depth study, combine this book with Irene Clark's "Concepts in Composition," which is a more theoretical and historically-based explanation of composition concepts.

Rating:
Summary: Valuable resource for composition teachers
Review: One of the best background texts for the writing instructor--secondary or college-level. It will provide the knowledge that brings confidence and understanding to the beginning instructor, and it is worth going back to again and again.

Rating:
Summary: Simple
Review: The problem with this book is that it takes a fairly simple approach to teaching writing, even though teaching writing is quite complicated and difficult. Also, the book doesn't say enough about ESL writers or writers with dialects. Finally, I couldn't find any discussion of the fact that writing skills in our schools have declined even as research in writing has increased. Overall, I would say that this is a "feel-good" book that doesn't address the hard issues of writing instruction.