The Internet in English Language Arts.

A recent article in the "Assemby for Computers in English (ACE) Newsletter" explains what most instructors of English already know--that students in most writing classes produce papers for which the primary purpose is the teacher. As the Internet becomes more widely available, students will have more access to what Howard Rheingold calls the "living database." Michael Day suggests that students can monitor discussion groups and determine the purpose and audience for which the group exists and then post messages to these groups. This activity gives students the opportunity to write for real purposes and real audiences. One recent item found on the Empire Internet schoolhouse might be of special interest to teachers of writing. The exercise is called "The Doomed Train." Its purpose is to give students experience in writing persuasive papers. Students get this experience by writing a paper and then a rebuttal to a student on the Internet who has an opposite view. There are any number of other opportunities whereby teachers can use Internet or e-mail to enhance the writing experiences of their students--word-processing is no longer the cutting edge in technology for the writing classroom. For instance, students can do research on the Internet. Also, creative writers can access CREWRT-L, a place where they can send their work to be critiqued. (Contains 12 references.) (TB)