Teaching Idea Development

A Standards-Based Critical-Thinking Approach to Writing

`The most marvelously practical and engaging approach to come along in decades. It goes beyond the basics to take up very practical techniques that are terribly useful but not covered in most textbooks. All of us want our students to think critically and creatively - this book shows us how to teach them to do just that. A superb text' - David R Russell, Professor of English Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

`A wealth of practical instruction activities to use in the classroom that can help students at all levels learn to flesh out the bare bones of their ideas. The world of effective writing, meant for authentic audiences and purposes, guides every suggestion made in this book' - Jan Isenhour, Executive Director The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning Lexington, Kentucky

`An excellent writing resource for teachers interested in helping students develop critical thinking skills. Loaded with specific objectives, student models, and classroom lessons, this book provides a catalog of useful strategies. New teachers, especially, should find this extremely useful' - Harry Noden, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

The authors believe that in order to meet the communications standards for a 21st Century education, both teachers and students must be able to think more critically and write with ideas fully developed in authentic forms for readers.

Idea development is recognized as a concrete skill or strategy that should not be taught in an isolated manner. Teachers are shown the reading-writing-thinking sequences that are needed as they instruct students to internalize the strategies successful writers use when developing ideas. The careful analysis of critical thinking skills and their connection to writing offered in this book will assist teachers of all content areas as they provide effective, integrated instruction for their students.