ERIC ED343158: The Best of SET: Writing.

121 Pages·1992·8.6 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUNENT RESUME
ED 343 158
CS 213 245
AUTHOR
Philips, David, Ed.
TITLE
The Best of SET: Writing.
INSTITUTION
Australian Council for Educational Research,
Hawthorn.; New Zealand council for Educational
Research, Wellington.
REPORT NO
ISSN-0725-4873
PUB DATE
92
NOTE
121p.
AVAILABLE FROM
SET, New *mtaland Council for Educational Research,
Box 3231, Wellington, New Zealand; SET, Australian
Council for Educational Research, Box 210, Hawthorn,
Victoria, Australia 3122.
PUB TYPE
Collected Works - General (020) -- Guides - Classroom
Use - Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) -- Guides -
Non-Classroom Use (055)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC05 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Class Activities; Elementary Secondary Education;
Foreign Countries; Grammar; Writing Attitudes;
Writing Evaluation; "Writing Improvement; "writing
Instruction; Writing Research
IDENTIFIERS
Australia; New Zealand
ABSTRACT
This collection nresents 15 articles on writing,
three of them new and 12 of them representing the best of the 500
articles published since 1974 in "SET: Research Information for
Teachers," a twice-yearly publication by the New Zealand and
Australian Councils for Educational Research aimed at teachers,
students, board members, and interested parents. The articles in the
collection discuss acquisition and development, teaching issues,
assessment, and standards. Following a contents sheet (and
corresponding to the item numbers, as listed on the contents page)
the 15 articles and their authors are as follows:
(2) "Writing in
Schools: Introduction" (David Philips);
(3) "Kids Can Write the First
Week in School" (Mary Ellen Giacobbe); (4) "Spelling Genius at Work"
(Richard Gentry); (5) "Six Weeks Writing in Two Secondary School
Classrooms" (David Philips); (6) "Grammar" ("A Working Knowledge" by
Katy Simmonds and "Does Instruction in English Grammar Improve
Writing Skills?" by Warwick Elley and others); (7) "Encouraging
Writing" (David Philips); (8) "Writing with Word Processors" (I1Pna
Snyder); (9) "Owning Your Own Writing" (David Philips); (10)
"Unlocking the Great Secret" (Graeme Withers); (11) "Staging Points
in Personal Narrative" (Irene Farmer and John Dixon); (12)
"Evaluating Writing" (David Philips); (13) "Evaluation of the Process
of Writing" (Judy Parr); (14) "Writers at Risk" (Carol Adler); (15)
"Learning and Teaching Writing" (Hilary Lamb); and (16) "Taking Care
of the Elements" (Claire Woods). (SR)
*********************************r*************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
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BEST COPY AVAILABLE
set: research information for
teachers,
is published twice a
year by the New Zealand and
Australian Councils for
Educational Research.
General Editor: Llyn Richards
Australian Editor: Peter Jeffery
Best
of set:
Special Editor for
Writing David Philips
Layout and Design:
Peter Ridder John Gillespie
Cover: Michael Reed
Opinions expressed by authors are
their own, and should not be
attributed to the organisations for
whom they work.
Copyright Copyright on all Items,
except Items 3, 4 and 11, is held by
NZCER and ACER, who grant to all
people actively engaged in
education the right to copy them in
the interests of better teaching; just
acknowledge the source.
Copyright on item 3, Kids Can Write
the Arst Week in School, is held by
Pitman Learning Inc,
Copyright on Item 4, Spelling
Genius at Work, is held by the
International Reading Association
and Dr Richard Gentry.
Copyright on Item 11, Staging
Points in Personal Narrative, is held
by Irene Farmer and John Dixon.
All requests to re-print items 3, 4 or
11 should be directed, in the first
instance, to the editor of set,
NZCER, Box 3237, Wellington.
Subscription orders and
enquiries to:
New Zealand:
set
NZCER
Box 3237
Wellington
New 7ealand
Australia:
set
ACER
Box 210
Hawthorn
Victoria
Australia 3122
ISSN
Australia: 0725-4873
New Zealand: 0110-8378.
Contents
Item 1
ON
From the 500 items in set since 1974,
the best 12 on Writing have been
set Research Information for
selected. Added to these are 3 new
Teachers
items appearing for the first time, and
is published twice a year by
an kitroducticer by the editor of this
the New Zealand and Australian
special edition, David Philips.
Councils for Educational Research.
Australian subscriptions: set, ACER,
Each set contains 14 or 15 separate
Box 210, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122.
items on research, written for
New Zealand subscriptions: set,
teachers, students, Board members,
NZCER, Box 3237, Wellington 6000.
and interested parents.
1. Contents Sheet
9. Owning Your Own Writing
-
David Milk"s
Make copies and pass them on to interested people.
Sixty teachers from the earliest classes in primary school to the top of
2. Introduction
the secortary school heOed in this project which looked at how the
most successful teachers of whing got such good wadi from their
David Philips
pupils. From set No. 2. 1989.
A short essay on where wortdwide research has got to. and on the
relevance of the research in this Best el set Writing.
10. Unlocking the Great Secret
Acquisition end Development
Graeme Withers
Here s an article about maths teaching! In this case the techniques cif
PROCESS WRITING are used to help both children and teachers
3. Kids Can Write the First Week in School
understand how thinking solves problems. From set No. 2, 1989.
Mary Ellen
GieCOttre
A simple question or two, some careful noting down. and this teacher
Assessment
had very useful, and exciting, research results about her own class of
8-year-olds. An example of research every teacher can do. From set
No. 2. 1981.
11, Staging Points in Personal Narrative
Irene Farmer and John Dixon
4. Spelling Genius at Work
Studying 8- to 13-year-olds' writing over a year revealed certain
Ra;hard
Gentry
features which appeared again and again. These have been set out
A fascinating account of the development of a child's written language
as 'staging points', stages to look out for as children's abilities
is
from 4-years-old to 10. Glenda Bissex's book. GNYS AT WAK
develop. Lots of good examples. From sat No. 1, 1986.
enthusiastically reviewed. From set No. 2, 1983.
12.Evaluating Writing
5. Six Weeks Writing in Two Secondary School
David
Philips
Classrooms
What are the beat marking techniques? Day-to-day course-work
David Phps
writing and end-of-term assessments are distingurshed and a thorough
By regular intennews of chicken and teachers. try collecting samples
exammabon of the most useful and accurate technklues is made,
of work, by visiting classes in English. Science. SociallEconomic
inducing a checklist of important points. From set No. 1. 1982.
Studies, a picture was built up of writing across the curnculum. From
sat No. 1. 1986.
13. Evaluation of the Process of Writing
Jody Parr
How you assess partly depends on your notion of what writing is for.
Teaching issues
But the accuracy of the assessment depends on clearly distinguishing
different characteristics, from planning to sensitivity. From set No. 2,
6. Grammar
1991.
Two short pieces
14.Writers At Risk
6a. A Working Knowledge
Carpi Adler
Simonds
Katy
Some children of average intelligence fall further and further behind in
An investigation of how well 12-year-olds understand the difference
writing. How can they be identified? Here. spelt out in detail, is an
between spoken and written language. Despite having no grammatical
assessment method which helps identify strengths and weaknesses.
vocabulary, they have an excellent worlung knowledge. A new dem.
From set No. 1. 1987.
6b. Does Instruction in English Grammar Improve
Standards
Writing Skills?
Warwick Elley, Ian Barham, Hilary Lamb, Malcolm
Wyllie
15.Leaming and Teaching Writing
Thrt 9 contrasting approaches to grammar were used. over three
years. in separate matching classes in a large secondary school. From
Hilary Lamb
set No. 1, 1975.
in New Zealand in 1984 six thousand children wrote letters, stones,
arguments and reflections for the IEA programme. The analysts gives
7. Encouraging Writing
some sort of international academic Olympics - it
more than a place
in
David PhilOs
helps us
is a fascinating picture of the children themselves. And
ft
match techniqueS and gOals. From ste No. 1. 19Efil.
A smorgasbord of techniques, all based on research, with
expianagons, practical advice and lots of references for further reading
16.Taking Care of the Elements
and study. From sit No. 2, 1983,
Claire Woods
8. Writing with Word Processors
In South Australia the performance of 11- and 12-year-olds as readers
liana Snyder
and writers is being assessed in a project called WRAP The first
results from the Writing section - on writing performance, on
The computer's impact on writing quality, on the cOmposing process,
4
curriculum, and on teaching and learning - are here surveyed. A new
and on classroom interactions, aB researched with 13-year-olds using
item.
both word processors and traditional pen and paper. A new Item.
Item 2
WRITING IN SCHOOLS:
araPINIKA
ra1Aa.w_0&aili#1.1.21
.0°.
91:6-
.%
A SURVEY OF THEORY AND PRACTICE
By David Philips
New Zealand Ministry of Education
Inti lduction
Key Ideas
More than ever, writing is a prerequisite to a fully func-
During the 1980s, teachers of writing have encountered
tioning life in the 1990s. As the articles in this collection
-arious issues, Perhaps the two most consuming ones have
make clear, writing is an essential skill, an integral part of
been the 'process versus product' debate and the issue of
the information age; it assists personal development and
standards. The development of writing, the composing
process, the use of computers for writing, and writing-
intellectual growth, is essential for social purposes. and is a
key method of learning in every subject. It is also, despite
across-the-curriculum have also become more important
the prevalence of short-answer tests, the principal means
over the past decade, and each of these themes is taken up
for assessing performance at school. Many of these themes
in this collection.
The 'process/product' debate concerns the extent to
are taken up by the contributors to Best of set: Writing.
This collection includes papers from authors in several
which students should be encouraged to generate their
countries. Scale of the articles have been published previ-
'own' writing compared with creating grammatically
ously in set after earlier publication elsewhere, while
correct products. Advocates of the process approach
towards teaching writing, such
others have been specially prepared for Best of set: Writing.
Graves, claim that
3S
Most of the items are by New Zealand rir Australian writ-
students learn to write best if they are encouraged to focur,
ers, with additional material from the United States and
upon discrete stages in the writing process, inventing,
Great Britain. These pieces cover a wide age range, from
planning, drafting, rewriting, proofreading and publish-
beginning writers' knowledge of words (see Gentry's and
ing, and have a large degree of control over their own writ-
Giacobbe's articles) through the primary school (e.g.,
ing processes. Proponents of the genre approach,
on the
Adler, Farmer and Dixon, Wither.. and Woods) to the
other hand, particularly in Australia, for example, the
secondary school level (e.g., Elley, Philips, and Snyder).
researchers Christie, Gilbert, and Martin, have argued
The main focus is on teaching and learning, including an
strongly that the ideas of Graves, particularly the attention
item on writing with a word processor (Snyder). Several
paid to the generation of original writing,
are misguided,
articles are concerned with different forms of assessment
and that students need explicit guidance in order to learn
(Adler, Lamb, Parr, Philips, and Woods), ranging from
the distinguishing features of different kinds of writing
or
national or regional surveys (Lamb, Woods) through to
genres. The debate continues; in my view both approaches
intensive diagnostic monitoring of individual writers
have contributed towards our understanding of how best
(Adler, Parr). Most items address topics of interest to both
to improve the teaching and learning of writing.
primary and secondary teachers.
Standards of writing have always been
a matter for
5
public concern, and every now and then a flare-up in the
college writers and comparing the practices of expert writ-
ers with novice writers, has helped to illuminate the
media draws attention to the apparent lack of prepared-
ness of school leavers for the writing demands of business
components of writing, the points at which :nany students
or further education. Public perceptions, however, do not
experience difficulties, and writing's recursiveness (i.e., the
match the available evidence. Much research. some
highly interlinked and overlapping nature of writing).
recounted in this set (El lev, Lamb), has now established
Finally, with computers being used in education more
and more, there is a g4ater awareness of how word
that standards of literacy 'have not fallen in recent years
despite the more heterogeneous student populations in
processing programmes can assist the development of
both Australia and New Zealand. The lEA Written
writing. Many teachers encourage the use of computers in
Composition Study in which New Zealand (though not
their writing programmes (see Snyder in this set, and other
Australia) participated showed that most 12- and 15-year-
work by Chandler and Marcus, Daiute).
old students wrote well in a variety of genres and that their
writing was not full of basic spelling and punctuation
Research
ermrs.
A number of other themes have been influential in the
1980s. It is now widely accepted that many children take a
Research on writing intensified throughout the 1980s.
strong interest in writing before they begin school, and
Many North American and Australian universities now
studies have been made of the development of children's
have at least one staff member with an active interest in the
knowledge about reading and writing in the early years
teaching of writing. Research which can foster the devel-
(e.g.. Gentry and Giacobbe in this set; and research by
opment of writing, as well as adding to our knowledge of
- that
the writing process, is under way, particularly in those
Taylor). The implications for teachers are very clear
it cannot be assumed that children arrive at school with no
departments which teach composition courses (still rare in
literacy awareness, nor that all that is necessary is to
Australia and New Zealand). A significant number of
provide them with models of accurate language usage and
research studies have now been carried out on writing,
they will be able to mimic these, at progressively more
including major surveys of the field (e.g., Hillocks, Tate)
sophisticated levels, until they reach adult competency.
and research programmes, such as the studies carried out
However, there are still very few detailed studies ot the
by the Centre for the Study of Writing at the University of
acquisition of early writing with Marie Clay's work being a
California, Berkeley, and Carne0e Mellon University,
notable exception. Also, in the 19805, increasMg attention
Pittsburgh, continue to yield valuable material. Books (e.g.,
was given to the links between reading and writing and
by Bereiter and Scardamalia) and journals (e.g., Written
the role that each can play in assisting the development of
Communication) have proliferated. The teaching of writing
the other.
has been underpinned by a body of knowledge which is
Writing development in every part of every school,
continually being refined and added to.
primary and secondary, has also become a focus, and the
Much of this research effort has explored the develop-
related notions of writing to learn and karning through writ-
ment of writing skills, influenced by studies of the acquisi-
tion of writing in young children or the composing
ing (Mayher, Lester and Pradl have written a book about
processes of university students (Flower). Clay's study
these themes). Writing-across-the-curriculum is a signifi-
cant catch phrase in some institutions. However, this
(1975) is a good example, showing how pre-schoolers and
important principle is rarely taken up by the majority of
children in their first year of school acquire notions about
schools or teachers. It is a pity since every teacher, whether
what is involved in writing. In this set, Gentry discusses
it is acknowledged or not, is a teacher of writing in some
research carried out by Bissex on her son frim the age of 4
way, just by encouraging certain sorts of writing or
to 10 years, as he moves through various stages in discov-
discouraging others.
ering more and more about spelling (though Bissex's book
Perhaps Graves's most notable contribution has been to
looks in more detail at the acquisition of both reading and
reinforce the importance of allowing children to experience
writing) and Giacobbe offers a glimpse of what children
the pleasures of authorship. Hence, there has been a
know about writing in their first week at school.
greater interest in the production of books written by
Several surveys of the kinds of writing students
children in the classroom; these are then made available to
encounter in schools have been undertaken (see Woods in
others. In some
writers have been paid to spend
this set, and Spencer) particularly in the early 1980s. Efforts
time in residence so that pupils can observe how writers go
have been made to develop typologies of different kinds of
writing (Davis) or to describe the features of texts
about their work. The writers can also provide guidance to
children with their own writing. In these ways students
produced by students (Harris and Wilkinson). The assess-
become aware that writing can be fun, though it is also
ment of writing skills (and, in earlier times, of marker relia-
hard work.
bility) was also the focus of many research studies; it is
Another key idea has been the importance of modelling,
likely to become more important through the 1990s
as
or providing an example to students. Many teachers write
governments with financial imperatives become more
preoccupied with issues of accountability and national
in the classroom at the same time as their pupils, sharing in
the same kinds of activities and talking about the difficul-
standards.
ties they have, as a way of encouraging writing develop-
Many educators have started to take a closer interest in
ment.
the development of national assessment systems. In
Perhaps the most significant idea emerging from
Australia, for example, the short-lived Australasian Co-
research (though beginning to be reflected more in
operative Assessment Program began to develop literacy
profiles, while in the United Kingdom the National
resources for writing teachers) has been the emphasis upon
writing processes. Graves has given impetus to this
Curriculum and its associated key stages for assessment of
concept in schools, though the research of Hayes and
pupils' competency at ages 7, 11, 14 and 16 has drawn
Flower, examining the composing processes used by
attention towards students' writing performance more
2
than ever before. A related developme.it in New Zealand is
it functions only indirectly to improve the teaching oi writ-
the 'Achievement Initiative', a policy of the government
ing, does allow both teachers and students to focus upon
elected in 1990, which is aimed at increasing student learn-
aspects of the writing process.
ing and achievement. A strong emphasis is placed on
For teachers, research on the assessment of writing has
assessment issues in this set.
offered some useful insights. The doubtful ubefulness of
In Australia, researchers who have played an importart
grammar teaching (see Elley in this set) is now well estab-
role in extending our awareness of ways of teaching wri
lislwd, at least among writing researchers if not among the
r-
ing have included scholars such as Cambourne, examining
general public or politician& Writing models as standards
the development of literacy learning in primary schools
(benchmarks) for judging students' writing have not been
using naturalistic techniques, and Christie. Gilbert, and
very influential, nor have writing checklists. Develop-
Martin, who have extended our views of ways to improve
mental profiles of individual pupils are becoming of great
the teaching of different kinds of writing using insights
interest, particularly in Australia and Britain (Broadfoot).
from linguistics. Johnston has explored various non-judge-
Many teachers find the notion useful but
many more
mental ways of assessing students' writing in order to help
remain to be convinced.
students to respond positively to feedback about their writ-
There are few, if any, sound standardised tests of writing
ing. Most of these researchers have also produced
competence. While research has demonstrated that the reli-
resources for teachers.
ability of essay marking can be dramatically improved
In New Zealand, Clay, Glynn, and Philips have under-
when criteria are made explicit and markers carefully work
taken studies of writing. Clay has focused upon how child-
through samples, adjusting the basis for their judgements
ren learn to write as part of her research into reading,
using consensus decision-making, much work remains to
while Glynn, using applied behaviour analysis, has
exam-
be done in this area to produce cost-effective methods. The
ined ways of helping students with basic writing problems,
model used in the lEA Study of Written Composition
for example, to generate text.
Philips, also influenced by
(Lamb) is piobably impractical for most schools despite its
naturalistic approaches for classroom research (e.g., Perl)
usefulness as an in-service technique.
observed 'successful' teachers at work in primary and
Perhaps the most interesting development for assisting
secondary schools and has studied how computers
may be
students to wri.e better is respore,ive feedback, researched
used to develop writing skills.
using different methods by Johnston in Australia and
Glynn in New Zealand. Students are given explicit guid-
ance on what they are doing inappropriately and supplied
Teaching Writing Teaching
with techAiques for improving their writing. This approach
is recounted in an accessible way in Brian Johnston's book,
There have been considerable advances in the teaching of
Assessing English.
writing in New Zealand and Australian schools over the
past decade. In the early 1980s in both New Zealand and
Conclusion
Australia Graves was particularly influential with his focus
upon the writing process. He spoke at several important
conferences (e.g., the IFTE conference in Sydney in 1980)
One of the more popular myths about writing is tha it
and his edited papers (Walshe) and bool( Writing: Teadwrs
cannot be taught. Yet we live in a world where more ar.d
and Children at Work have sold well. Few primary teachers
more emphasis is placed upon accountability and the
can have been uninfluenced by at least some of his ideas.
measurement of outcomes. The education system of most
Hs approaches have become a new kind of orthodoxy.
countries has not been immune from this pressure, It
Other teachers and researchers such
as Martin and
seems to me that the tension between (a) teaching to
Gilbert have challenged Graves's methods as too unstruc-
encourage the personal, developmental, emotional aspects
tured, leading to chaos in the classroom. Cambourne has
of writing and (b) the imperative to inculcate
accuracy then
also had a major impact though his concerns as an educa-
to determine students' skill levels by testing their compe-
tor are not just with writing but with a holistic approach
tency, is unlikely to be resolved until greater respect is
towards literacy teaching. Richardson's article on the two
accorded to the results of research
-
competing pedagogies - process-based and genre-based
High on the list of educloonal priorities must remain: (1)
in Australia is a sound overview of some of the main
the quality ot writing aLid the writing experience; (2) the
issues.
opportunities afforded for learning (irrespective of the
What has been done to transmit knowledge abou: the
subject content); (3) ti.e need to understand the writing
teaching of writing to teachers? In New Zealand perhaps
process or the act of composing or invention (see Young).
the most significant innovation has been the New Zealand
An obsession with structured descriptions such
as attain-
Writing Project, based upon the framework of the Bav Area
ment levels, minimal competencies, and standards is likely
Writing Project in the United States. This approach reflects
to undo much of the good work of writing researchers
over
the tundamental principle that the best ways to improve
the past decade and to be antipathetic to sound educa-
writing are to practise writing, to discuss proven tech-
tional practice.
niques, and to study research findings applying to class-
Researchers need to focus much more directly
on the
room practice; it is described in detail in a book by
consequences for teaching and learning of such politically
Carruthers et al, The Word Process.
motivated approaches. Perhaps the genre-based approach
Another development has been the use of writers in
for witting teaching is a useful compromise between the
schools. The New Zealand Book Council has administered
artificiality of age-related standardised assessment tasks
a scheme for several years which enables primary and
and the age-old problem of subjectivity associated with
secondary schools to have a visiting writer speak about
letting students write whatever they want, in
an unguided
their writing to groups of pupils. A list of accredited writ-
fashion, and then judging their work simply on the basis of
ers is maintained by the Book Council. This scheme, while
its sincerity or originality!
7
3
4
It is also important that research in the future, as it is
Centnr, R. (1983) Spelling genius at work, set no 2.
beginning to do, places tar greater emphasis upon the
Giacobbe, M. E. (1981) Kids can write the first week in school!,
set no 2.
contexts in which writing is acquired rather than interpret-
Gilbert, P. (1989) Writing, Schooling and Deconstruction,
ing writing as an individualistic skill. The latter emphasis
Routledge, London.
raises pedagogical implications but no others. Little
Glynn, T. (1989) Learners in control: responding to children's
research has been carried out into the role of parents or of
writing, unpublished ms.
other caregivers in fostering the development of writing
Graves, D. H. (1983) Writing: Teachers and Children at Work,
skills (Taylor), and the political dimensions of writing have
Heinemann, Exeter, NH.
rarely been closely examined (Lankshear).
Hall, N. (1987) The Emergence of Literacy, Hodder and
Writing will continue to be one of the focal points of
Stoughton, London.
education. Technological changes which appear to place a
Hall, N. (Ed) (1990) The Emergente of Authorship in Young
Children, Hodder and Stoughton, London.
greater focus upon instant communication (e.g., sophisti-
Harris, J. and Wilkinson, J. (1986) Reading Children's Writing,
cated teleconferencing facilities) and aural/oral modes of
Allen and Unwin, London.
learning, in no way diminish the importance of writing or
Hayes, J. R. and Flower, L (1980) The dynamics of composing:
of permanent records. The analysis of information, irre-
making plans and juggling constraints, in: L. Giegg and E.
spective of its source (e.g., from complex databases), and
Steinberg (Eds), Cognitive Process's in Writing, Erlbaum,
the presentation of cogent arguments for decision-making,
Hillsdale, NJ.
require finely tuned writing skills.
Hillocks. G. (1986) Research on Written Composition, National
Claims that writing is no longer relevant to the modern
Conference on Research in English/ERIC. Urbana, III.
world are unsustainable. If anything, it is now more impor-
Johnston. B. (1987) Assessing English, Open University Press,
tant than ever to be able to write well. Each of the pieces in
Milton Keynes.
Lamb, H. (1989) Writing in New Zealand Schools, Department of
Best of set: Writing assists our understanding of the teach-
Education, Wellington.
ing and learning of writing and makes a contribution
Lamb, H. (1989) Learning and teaching writing, set r.. I.
towards this goal.
Lankshear, C. and Lawler, M. (1987) Literacy, Schooling and
Revolution, Falmer Press, London.
Martin, J. (1985) Factual Writing, Deakin University Press,
Note
Geelong.
Mayher, J.. Lester, N. and Pradl, G. Learning to Write/Writing to
a member of the Learning and
David Philips
is
Learn, Bovnton/Cook, Upper Montclair, NJ.
Assessment Policy Unit of the New Zealand Ministry of
O'Rourke, A. and Philips, D. (1989) Responding Effectively to
Education, Private Box 1666, Wellington, New Zealand. He
Pupils' Writing, NZCER, Wellington.
was formerly a research officer with the New Zealand
Parr, J. (1991) Evaluation of the process of writing, set no 2.
Peri, S. and Wilson, N. (1986) Through Teachers
Council for Eeticational Research, specialising in writing
Eyes,
Heinemann, Portsmouth. NH.
and its assessment.
Philips, D. (1982) Evaluating writing, set no 1.
Philips, D. (1985) A Month's Writing in Four Classrooms,
NZCER, Wellington.
Philips. D. (1986) Sx weeks writing in two secondary school
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Copying Permitted
narrative, set no 1.
4)Copyright on this item is held by NZCER and ACER which grant to
Flower, L (1989) Problem-solving Strategies for Writing (3rd ed),
all people actively engaged in education the right to copy it in the
Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, New York.
interests of better teaching. Please acknowledge the source
4
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MARBLE
She read it to herself, crossed out the T in Tacan,
Kids Can Write the First
changed it to a w and on top of a wec, she wrote D the
hail. Her message now read:
Week in School
The Trce was wacan 0 the hall
(The turkey was walking down the hil.)
Already Ellen knew that she could clu,nge her
message so that it said exactly what she wanted it to
By Mary Ellen Giacobbe
say. She was rereading and revising.
My attention was drawn to the tap, tap, tapping of
Atkinson Academy, New Hampshire
the black marker on David's page as he was creating a
snowstorm. He wrote:
I So So
Reprinted by special permission of
(I saw snow.)
Magazine for Creative Teaching
LEARNING, The
David said, 'This is a big snowstorm. A real blizzard.'
September 1981
As he touched each word, he read, 'I saw snow.'
* 1981 by Pitman Learning Inc.
I asked David, 'What do you notice a bout the words
saw and snow?' He replied, 'They both begin with the
same sound.'
First Week of
Figure 1
Class Spelling Patterns
Children say they can write but that they can not read.
School
They can hold a crayon, marker, pencil or some other
,
kind of writing instrument and they can produce
i
doctor
rag
five
buzz
some form of written expression.
4
When this Khool year began I wanted to find out
Bozo
Dokr
fly
rag
Ellen
what my first
graders attending the Atkinson
-
I
Academy, the public school in
Atkinson, New
D
Helen
B
FS
IV
Hampshire, could do as writers. On the first day of
.
4
gave five of them an A4 exercise book
school I
Frank
D
P
F
F
containing forty sheets of unlined paper. I told them
,
that these were for them to write in. The other
Biz
Fly
Greg
Rag
DWI
seventeen children were assigned to other areas in
the classroom.
RAKG
John
DAODR
FAF
OAS
I circulated around the classroom observing and
lit
talking with the children. 'Tell me about your
dodr
Brian das
rag
'Why do you think the sand goes
. .
Jennifer
RAG
DOCTR
FIVE
BIS
than through that
through
strainer
faster
this
'How many cubes do you think it will
strainer?'
. .
.
RAG
FOYV
DOCTR
Lisa
@AS
take to fit across the top of the desk?'
Someone tugged at my sleeve and I turned to see
BIS
DIR
Kelly
RIG
FIV
Mark standing by my side with his journal. 'Tell me
-I
4
1
about your drawing, Mark,' I said.
BIS
Dir
RAG
Bob
FA
He pointed to each part of the drawing and said,
'This is the ocean and this is a sailboat and chic is the
DOKR
Carl
RaG
Ells
Fi Fy
anchor. These are clouds.'
DKT
RAG
ViN
Linda
BST
He had written BD for boat and KLD for cloud. I
could tell that the oversized anchor was important
RAG
BIZ
DOR
FIV
Sarah
but he felt that he couldn't write anchor so I helped
him.
fuv
Rag
Diane
Dorsc
buz
'Can I do another page?' he asked.
I nodded my head and Mark rejoined Ellen at the
foil
Donna
rag
Bus
Doud
writing table. Ellen was tracing around her knd with
a blue marker. Then with a red marker she colored
DOCtr
Rag
Fly
Baz
David
the entire center and thumb and then continued to
color the fingers orange, purple, brown and black. A
RAG
DOCTOR
Jeremy
FIVE
Buzz
big yellow sun appeared in the top right corner and
two flowers grew to the left of the hand. Short,
RAG
DOCTOR
Buzz
FIVE
Ed
straight, vertical, green lines bordered the bottom of
iA
DT
Mark
FF
BS
the page. Ellen wrote:
The Trce was Tacan a wec
DOD
BU
raG
Fiv
Susan
(The turkey was taking a walk.)
10
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