ABSTRACT
T His experiment arose in the first place from a belief that group methods might be applied more specifically to the teaching of English Composition than they appear to have been in the past. Ever since the time of Caldwell Cook activity methods have been widely used in connection with dramatic work and oral expression, and in project work the writing of reports is frequently treated as a group responsibility; yet there seems to have been little scientific investigation into the possibility of training children to co-operate in the writing of stories, plays or poems, although a wealth of folk literature exists to prove that such activity is healthy and natural/Instead, this kind of co-operation is viewed in some quarters with distrust, and the experiment now to be reported may well be open to criticism on the grounds that group activity, while benefiting the dull or mediocre child, may have a thwarting effect on a child of outstanding artistic talent. It should be understood, however, that the children who participated were given frequent opportunities to write individually as well as co-operatively. It is not suggested that group writing should take the place of individual writing: on the contrary it was hoped, when the method was first put on trial, that the children would acquire new ideas and greater ease of expression as a result of close intercourse, and so would write more competently and with more enjoyment when thrown back on their own resources.
