Writing as a Domain of Knowledge for Both Children and Researchers

Abstract

Research on writing development has shown a developmental path before children are formally taught reading and writing in schools. Accordingly, many studies have focused on the changes these conceptualizations undergo with age in different languages. The aim of this chapter is to focus on the period in which writing represents language in a discursive context. Preschool children were asked to write a list of words individually; afterwards, they were asked to write commands for a game in small groups during three different sessions. The analysis shows a more advanced level of writing when it is conducted through peer interaction compared to individual writing. Moreover, it foregrounds alternative choices of mapping letters onto phonological units across sessions. Furthermore, peer interactions while writing indicate how active children are in their learning process. Finally, the psycholinguistic and educational implications of these findings are examined and discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)