The Effect of Interactive Writing on the Development of Early Writing Skills of Preschool Students

Sharon LindebakCI804 Wichita State UniversityMay 3, 2012

Outline of Presentation

Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results Conclusion Discussion References

Introduction Majority of children do not write well enough

to meet educational or workplace demands. National Assessment of Educational Progress (2003)

Writing was the most neglected of the 3 R’s in the classroom.

National Commission on Writing (2003)

Researchers agree on the importance of writing instruction, but disagree about theory of writing development.

(as cited in Roth & Guinee, 2011)

Theories of Writing Development

Linearity Hypothesis Sequential set of skills Development of universal features (lines, spacing) Followed by language-specific characteristics (directionality,

symbol shapes) Universal features as young as 3 and 4 years old

Unified Hypothesis Universal and language-specific features develop

simultaneously No specific order Based on experiences and meaning Features as young 3 and 4 years old

(Puranik & Lonigan, 2009)

Puranik and Lonigan Study (2009)

Conceptually coherent examination of writing development Quantified writing features Broad range of emergent skills

Findings from over 300 preschoolers Writing features develop sequentially Writing proficiency was task dependent

Connections between phonological awareness and literacy acquisition Two key ideas about writing

Sign—print carries meaning Message—spoken language can be

recorded as written language

Importance of “reading” pictorial representations as text

(as cited in Kissel, Hansen, Tower & Lawrence, 2011)

Instructional Writing Strategies

Creating a writing block Teaching in the zone of proximal

development Scaffold writing Use of private speech Materialization Assessing developmental stages

(Gentry, 2005)

Gentry’s Writing Scale (1977)

Started as a scale to measure developmental stages of spelling

Identifies levels of emergent writing Focuses on specific writing elements and

alphabetic principles Five developmental stages (0-4) focusing on

print awareness, understanding and application Writing is considered “in a stage” when more

than half of the invented spelling meets the stage criteria

(Gentry, 2005)

Research QuestionWhat is the effect of Interactive Writing on the

development of early writing skills of preschool students?

Methodology: Participants

14 prekindergarten students

8 girls and 6 boys 8 students qualify at-risk 6 students have IEPs

1 nonverbal student 1 ESOL student 3 students receive occupational therapy

services and use an alternative writing program within the classroom

Methodology: Interactive Writing

Collaborative writing experience Instruction begins with a small or large

group negotiating written text with teacher

Teacher supports participation in the process and product (shared-pen)

Teacher talks through literacy concepts based on the needs of the learners

Followed by independent writing

(Roth & Guinee, 2011)

Methodology: Procedure

Week 1: Initial writing samples Write or draw a story about themselves

Week 2: Interactive Writing Message Theme-spring weather, storms, rain Indirect themes-sentences, capital letters, writing on

lines, how to make certain letters, beginning sounds No follow-up writing sample

Methodology: Procedure Week 3: Interactive Writing Message

Theme--weekend activities Indirect themes--subject-verb agreement, counting

words, directionality, punctuation, segmentation Follow-up sample

Week 4: Interactive Writing Message Theme--favorite things Indirect themes--sentences, capital letters, beginning

and end sounds, punctuation, segmentation Follow-up sample

Methodology: Assessments Writing Samples

Gentry’s Writing Scale (5 writing stages) Adapted version of Gentry’s Writing Scale (8

writing stages) Anecdotal notes taken during interactive and

independent writing

A L G T E (alligator) Story about a snake—used a book as a resource

Story about her family and then started coloring over

her drawings

Results Initial Writing

Class Average—2.4 Girls’ Average—2.6 Boys’ Average—2.0

After Final Interactive Writing Class Average—3.3 Girls’ Average—3.8 Boys’ Average—2.7

Stage 2: Letter-like forms emerge, sometimes randomly placed, and are interspersed with numbers*Children can tell about their own drawings or writings*Spacing is rarely present

Stage 3: Strings of letters and letter-like forms*Developing awareness of sound to symbol—not matching most sounds*Most letters capital with no spacing

Gentry’s Writing Scale excerpt from (Gentry, 2005)

Gain Scores of Interactive Writing

Interactive Writing Gains

Class Average—.93 Girls’ Average --1.1 Boys’ Average --.67

Increase of 1.0 is the equivalent of one developmental writing stage

Conclusion

Gains for 11 out of 14 participants Increased awareness

Title at top of page Labels More detailed drawings (background) Increase use of letters and invented

spelling Using classroom resources Participation

Discussion

Writing stages should not be used in isolation

Processes, products, interactions Vast amounts of research on writing

development and emergent writing skills—many gaps in understanding of writing development

Narrowing the focus

Recommendations

Longitudinal study Variety of writing tasks (letter and

words, name writing, composing) Portfolio and continuum

ReferencesGentry, J. R. (2005). Instructional techniques for emerging writers and

special needs students at kindergarten and grade 1 levels. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 21, 113-134.

Kissel, B., Hansen, J., Tower, H., & Lawrence, J. (2011). The influential interactions of pre-kindergarten writers. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 11(4), 425-452.

Puranik, C. S., & Lonigan, C. J. (2011, May). From scribbles to scrabbles: Preschool children's developing knowledge of written language. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 24(5), 567-589.

Roth, K., & Guinee, K. (2011). Ten minutes a day; The impact of Interactive Writing on first graders' independent writing. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 11(3), 331-361.