The sad thing we find is that students today do not bring with them the rich and varied background of reading necessary for them to tap into these avenues of expression. What they do bring is a culture of television, pulp trade books, and a lifestyle too busy for quiet times to read. My experience has shown that children raised from the beginning in the world of books (both at home and school) are well able to “compose” for themselves with words and sentences showing knowledge well expressed.
