How beginning writers articulate and demonstrate their understanding of the act of writing

Abstract

This descriptive case study conducted in three first‐grade classrooms in one school, explores the understandings, performances and perceptions young writers have about writing. Specifically, the research focuses on 4 aspects of writing: 1) first‐grade students’ beliefs about quality writing; 2) first‐grade students’ capabilities in evaluating a piece of writing written by a peer; 3) if what first‐graders say about quality writing is evidenced in their own performances as writers; and 4) if what first‐grade students say and do in their writing is influenced by what their teachers say about classroom writing instruction. The results of this study suggest that most of what students articulate about writing revolves around these aspects: writing process (e.g., topic selection, traits of writing, revision), conventions for writing (e.g., spacing between words, punctuation), and appearance and spelling (e.g., letter formation, and words spelled correctly). A high number (or 97%) of students demonstrate proficiency in applying what they say they know about writing. There was a dramatic difference between one classroom's student responses to the two other classrooms’ student responses in terms of writing process comments and technical aspects of writing. These findings suggest that young writers are capable of understanding and using complex aspects of the writing process often associated with more experienced writers, and are influenced by what teachers’ writing instruction emphasizes.