Well, lots of teachers handle TAAS writing in different ways.
Many teachers teach nothing but the formulas, over and over.
That, and working out of the grammar book, was English class at 7th and 8th grade. However, at the school where I teach now, it's a little different. But since I teach 7th, I do things a little differently. Of course I will have to adjust this down the road, since in 2003 the writing test will be at 7th grade. I do sort of a modified workshop where 2 days a week my students work on their writing portfolios.