Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 1-1-2001 The role of children's talk in writing development Belinda Nelson Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Nelson, B. (2001). The role of children's talk in writing development. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1023 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1023 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. Where the reproduction of such material is done without attribution of authorship, with false attribution of authorship or the authorship is treated in a derogatory manner, this may be a breach of the author’s moral rights contained in Part IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Courts have the power to impose a wide range of civil and criminal sanctions for infringement of copyright, infringement of moral rights and other offences under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. THE ROLE OF CHILDREN'S TALK IN WRITING DEVELOPI\.1ENT by Belinda Nelson, Dip. Tch (Primary), B.Ed A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education Edith Cowan University 2001 USE OF THESIS The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis. ABSTRACT r.-IEROLE OF CHILDREN'S TALK IN WRITING DEVELOPMENT This study is a 'snap shot' into the interactions and utterances of developing writers. It provides insight into the usefulness of talk, the need to model and encourage talk in the composing processes of children and also into the factors that impact on such talk making it more or less effective for young writers. Thestudy observed six middle primary school students during the writing of two texts and recorded the accompanying talk. ":lassroomobservations provided insight into the pedagogical and cultural influences within the writing contexts. Writing samples enabled each student's writing development to be analysed and became a point of reference for the analysis of the associated talk. These data were developed into a number of case studies enabling a thick description of the different contexts, each student, the writing activity, the written texts and most importantly the children's talk. The patterns that emerged as the talk was analysed indicated that the students engaged in a variety of talk while composing written texts. The talk of these more developed writers included private speech, conversations with peers, assertive regulatory talk aimed at managing the behaviour of other students to othertalk that reflected the instructional discourse of the classroom. Three categories were established fromthe data analysis, capturing the essence of the talk. The categories describe the talk as 'Doing Writing', 'About Writing' and ii 'Outside Writing'. These categories enabled further analysis which indicated that talk supported the students as they worked through issues of content, form, genre and audience in their writing. Furthermore, some of the talk of these older writers was similar to the talk that emergent writers engage in as they seek to make meaning in the written form. However, important differences indicate that talk continues to be a scaffold for language learning,by enabling more capable writers to begin developing an awareness of audience or how their writing sounds to others. Talk also appears to help more developed writers gain a greater consciousness of the control of form and conventions and to maintain focus in a complicated and multi-faceted cognitive task. iii DECLARATION I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief: (i) incorporate without acknowledgment any material submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education; (ii) contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text; or (iii) contain any defamatory material Signature of Candidate: Date: iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to acknowledge the assistance given to me by Associate Professor Judith Rivalland in the supervision of this thesis. I would also like to express my lhanks to her for her encouragement to me to undertake this degree and her belief in me that it I was worth it. I would also like to acknowledge the teachers and students who participated in this study for allowing me into their classrooms and their writings temporarily. I have appreciated the assistance given by Shelley Shellabear. Thank you to Haydn, Simeon, Elizabeth and Jack Nelson for giving me the time and encouragement to make this thesisa reality. Special thanks also to Bette Nelson and Cara Cox. V TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ii Declaration iii List of Tables X CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1 Background to the Problem 1 Statement of the problem 2 Research Questions 5 Main Research Question 5 Subsequent research Questions 5 Definition of Terms 6 Significance 7 Organisation of Thesis 8 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW 12 Introduction 12 Writing Development 14 The Process and Components of Writing 14 Language Development 16 Models of Writing Development 20 WritingPedagogy 25 Process Approach 25 Genre Based Approach 29 Whole Language 31 Summary 33 Talk and Learning 33 Peer Interactions 35 Teacher Talk and Student Leaming 39 Talk in the Teacher-Student Writing Conference 43 Summary 44 Talk and Writing 45 Talk and Emergent/Early Writing 46 Talk and Later Writing Development 50 Writers Talking to Each Other 53 Summary 56 Final Summary Comment 57 vi CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 60 Introduction 60 Case Study Research 61 Design of the Study 66 Research Setting and Participants 66 The School 67 The Classrooms and the Teachers 67 The Subjects 69 Gaining Access and Ethical Issues 70 Trial Visits 71 Data Collection 72 Data Analysis 73 Validity of the Data 75 External Validity or Transferability 76 Reliability 76 Final Comment 76 CHAPTER IV CASE STUDY OF CRAIG AND SARAH 78 Introduction 78 Craig and Sarah in Class 78 Craig in Class 78 Sarah in Class 81 The Writing Context 85 Craig Doing Writing 90 Doing the Wanted Poster 90 Doing the Summary 93 Craig's Writing 98 Sarah Doing Writing 105 Doing the Wanted Poster 105 Doing the Summary 107 Sarah's Writing 112 Final Comment 119 CHAPTER V CASE STUDY OF SIMEON AND RUTH 120 Introduction 120 Simeon and Ruth in Class 121 Simeon in Class 121 vii Ruth in Class 125 The Writing Context 127 Simeon Doing Writing 135 Doing the Newspaper Article 135 Doing the Summary 139 Simeon's Writing 145 Ruth Doing Writing l :> 1 Doing the Newspaper Article 151 Doing the Summary 155 Ruth's Writing 159 Final Comment 166 CHAPTER VI CASE STUDY OF LAUREN 167 Introduction 167 Lauren in Class 167 The Writing Context 171 Lauren Doing Writing 176 Doing the Bbgraphy 176 Doing the Newspaper Article 179 Lauren's Writing 182 Final Comment 186 CHAPTER VII CASE STUDY OF DEAN 188 Introduction 188 Dean in Class 188 The Writing Context 190 Dean Doing Writing 194 Doing the Symbol Story 194 Doing the Narrative Retell 197 Dean's Vv'riting 202 Final Comment 204 CHAPTER VIII DATA ANALYSIS-CROSS CASE ANALYSIS 205 Introduction 205 The Students in Class 206 The Similarities and Differences 206 The Contexts 208 The Writing Experiences 208 The Pre-Writing Sessions 209 Vlll The Writing Process 21 0 Teacher Support 213 Doing the Writing 215 Starting Off - Settling to the Task 216 Conscious Writing - Getting on with it 219 Peer interactions: when students are working together 21 9 Interruptions and starting again 223 Finishing - The End is !1igh 226 The Written Products 230 Final Comment 235 CHAPTER IX DAT A ANALYSIS - CA TEGORlES OF T ALK 237 Introduction 237 Doing Writing 238 Self Initiated Reading and Re-reading 239 Vocalising while Writing 241 'Progress' Self-Commentary 242 'Writing' Self-Commentary 244 About Writing 245 Product Talk 246 Progress Talk 250 Management Talk 252 Outside Writing 255 Tape Talk 256 Classroom Discourse 257 Social Chit-Chat 259 Personal Comments 260 Conclusion 261 CHAPTER X CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 262 Conclusions 263 Conclusion One 265 Conclusion Two 266 Children in later writing development use talk in similar ways to emergent writers. 267 Children in later writing development use talk in unique ways during the composing process. 269 ix Children in later writing development use talk in ways that reflectspecific patterns of discourse. 271 Conclusion Three 273 Talk impacts on the quality of the revision activi, y 273 Exploratory talk i5 a useful pre- writing activity 274 What 'No Talk' might mean 274 Final Concluding Comment 276 Limitations of the Study '277 Implications and Recommendations 279 Implications 279 Recommendations for further Research 281 References 283 Appendix A 294 Appendix B 296 Appendix C 299 Appendix D 303 X List of Tables Table 1 Definition of Terms 6 Table 2 Oral Language Developmental Framework 19 Table 3 Overview of Study Design 66 xi Chapter One Introduction Background to the Problem As a teacher who has had extensive clar.sroomteaching experience with young literacy learners,I have noticed how young children use oral language to facilitate other literacy learning.