As graduate students, Smagorinsky (U. of Georgia), Johannessen (1947-2009) and McCann (both Northern Illinois U.), and Illinois secondary teacher Kahn all studied under George Hillocks, Jr., at the U. of Chicago. Drawing upon 130 combined years of experience as teachers, district administrators, and university faculty, they present 6-12th grade classroom teachers a practical, research-based guide to an alternative approach to writing instruction--offering flexibility and possibilities rather than formulas and rules. Readers first consider possible ways to teach writing, and reflect on their assumptions about teaching writing. The authors then outline the structured process approach based on utilization of Hillocks' principles in their own teaching. They apply this instructional approach to traditional types of writing--personal and fictional narratives; argumentation and comparison/contrast essays; research reports--and conclude by outlining a comprehensive grades 6-12 writing/literature curriculum using the structured process approach to conceptualize writing instruction in the long and broad term. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)