In this guide for pre- and in-service teachers of grades 4-8, Allan (language and literacy education, Lesley University) presents a fresh perspective on writing instruction along with practical methods for classroom use. The first two chapters of the book introduce the theoretical foundation of two original models. The first is an original, research-based communication model showing how teachers and students can think about their intended audiences, and reflects the writer-reader relationship along four dimensions: world knowledge, discourse knowledge, time and space, and sociocultural membership. The second model describes cognitive processes writers use during different phases of the writing process. The next three chapters of the book present instructional practices to use when writing to explore ideas, to inform, and to entertain. Later chapters consider revision, and writing for high-stakes testing. Special features include classroom vignettes, examples of student work, evaluation guidelines, annotated lists of technology tools, and suggested 'mentor texts' that model different genres. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)