The Wheel of Writing: a model of the writing domain for the teaching and assessing of writing as a key competency

ABSTRACT

The model presented in this article aspires to represent a theoretically valid and coherent definition and description of writing, as a basis for teaching and assessing writing as a key competency in school. It represents a critique as well as an extension of previous alternatives in that it views writing as a culturally and individually intentional act of semiotic mediation. Its perspective is sociocultural and functional; focussing on the relation between writing acts and their purposes, and its dynamic construction captures flexible relations between these. The communicative aspects encapsulate semiotic tools which written mediation affords. A discussion of curricular and didactic potentials finishes the article, illustrating how the model may form a basis for a varied teaching of writing, as well as being a tool for learning and assessment within and across school subjects.

KEYWORDS:

• Literacy theory
• writing constructs
• theories of writing
• discourses of writing
• teaching writing
• assessing writing
• writing as key competency

Acknowledgements

The study was funded by The Research Council of Norway and South Trøndelag University College. The authors are members of an interdisciplinary team taking part in a research project entitled Developing National Standards for the Assessment of Writing: A Tool for Teaching and Learning. The theoretical models and instruments presented in this article have been collaboratively developed by the group members. In alphabetical order the team consists of: Jannicke Ohrem Bakke, Vestfold and Buskerud University College; Kjell Lars Berge, University of Oslo; Lars S. Evensen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Sindre Dagsland, South Trøndelag University College; Trine Gedde-Dahl, University College of Oslo and Akershus; Synnøve Matre (project leader), South Trøndelag University College; Hildegunn Otnes, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Randi Solheim, South Trøndelag University College; Ragnar Thygesen, University of Agder; and Gustaf Skar, South Trøndelag University College.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by The Research Council of Norway; South Trøndelag University College.

Notes on contributors

Kjell Lars Berge

Kjell Lars Berge is employed as a professor of textual studies at the Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Languages at the University of Oslo in Norway. His academic interests are text linguistics, semiotics, rhetoric, discourse analysis and literacy studies.

Lars Sigfred Evensen

Lars Sigfred Evensen is employed as a professor of applied linguistics at the Department of Language and Literature at the Norwegian University of Technology and Science in Trondheim, Norway. His academic interests are epistemology, discourse analysis and developing writing competency across learning trajectories.

Ragnar Thygesen

Ragnar Thygesen is employed as professor of special needs education at the Department of Education at University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway. His academic interests are learning difficulties in relation to the key competencies in school, especially writing and reading.