What high school English teachers know about teaching writing and where they learn it

This thesis addresses the absence of writing instruction as a part of secondary teacher training. After examining the traditions that have influenced the English curriculum and teacher training, I discovered little has changed in the past two hundred years. I surveyed Fresno area teachers to discover how their experiences with writing as students and attitudes about writing instruction influence their classroom practices. If we hope to reform current writing instruction practices, preparation programs and staff development sessions must acknowledge the importance of teachers' previous experiences. Teacher growth and development is an ongoing process and teachers must have continuing opportunities for growth and reflection on their classroom practices if we hope to improve secondary writing instruction.