Bill McCleary, NCATE has three guidelines directed toward writing/composing. The language section with its eight or so guidelines is formidable. My own institution is going to two courses in linguistics. I think the pressure is to give more wieght to writing and language, as you indicate. But I don't believe it was intended that a five-year program be required. In any case, that is the prerogative of the state and /or institution. Neither is it NCATE's purpose, in my judgement, that all of these guidelines be met in discrete courses. Obviously the more pervasive the concept throughout one's program, the more effective. Sometimes, setting a few guidelines off in one or two courses is the least effective way. For example, if many courses treat some aspect of dialect, that would be far more desirable than if a part of one course were responsible for it, to the general exclusion of other courses. But you're right. It's not easy to get all of these things done. On the other hand, those of us who are accredited by NCATE will have to try to meet the program. I haven't given you the rest of the guidelines, simply because they have a few minor changes ahead. I was premature with the language ones, but couldn't resist sharing them with all of you, particularly for help with active verbs. I'll be glad to share when we're done.