Amanda,

I teach 8th grade in Columbia County, Georgia, the suburbs of Augusta.  Our 
county has required the use of DOL (a minimum of 3 times per week) in an effort 
to raise the L.A. portions of the Georgia CRCT (criterion referenced 
competency test).  Many teachers use the Actual Daily Oral Language program, while 
others of us use the Daily Language Practice that accompanies our literature 
series (Prentice Hall).  I honestly don't see how requiring every m.s. teacher in 
the county to utilize DOL on a regular basis UNLESS the teacher is going to 
incorporate the DOL lesson into their regular writing curriculum.  Personally, I 
only use the Daily Language Practice overheads because I have to.  My 
students really learn the intricacies of writing through my writer's workshop, where 
we are able to focus on things such as setting off apposotives with commas, 
punctuation usage, verb tenses, etc.  However, because the Georgia CRCT requires 
students to 'pick out' mistakes in sentences, which is what they're supposed 
to accomplish with DOL, it makes sense to my district to practice what is on 
the test.  

Just my $.02.

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