Development of Writing in a Bilingual Program - Final Report for Grant No. NIE-G-81-0051509p

Aug 25, 2026

Uploaded by Levi

The writing development of 27 first through third graders enrolled in an English/Spanish bilingual program was investigated through collected writing samples across four points during the school year. Samples were coded for code-switching, spelling, punctuation and segmentation, structural features, stylistic devices, and content, while classroom observations, teacher interviews, family background review, and a community language situation survey contextualized writing growth. Findings challenge myths about bilingual language proficiency, biliteracy, and writing instruction, showing diverse vocabulary, complex syntax, reader-oriented acknowledgment, contextual constraint awareness, and movement toward stylistic sophistication. A whole-language approach is supported using authentic, functional texts for children to produce.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages485

Reading Time20 h 22 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Methodology

Contexts

The Myths and the Reality

Tablea Findings from Codingsof Writing

Looking Ahead by Looking Back

References

ED 221057 AUTHOR TITLE INSTI TUTION SPONS AGENCY PUB DATE GRANT NOTE EDRS PRI CE DESCRI PTORS I DENTIFIERS ABSTRACT DOCUMENT RESUME Edelsky,Carole Development of Writing in a Bilingual Program.FinalReport.Volumes l and 2. Arizona State Univ.,Tempe.Dept.of ElementaryEducation. National Inst.of Education(ED),Washington,DC.Mar 82 NIE-G-81-0051509p. M MF02/PC21 Plus Postage. *Bilingual Education Programs;*Bilingualism;Bilingual Students;Child Language;Code Switching(Language);Language Proficiency;Literacy;MigrantChildren;Primary Education;*writing Instruction;*Writing SkillsArizona(Phoenix) The writing development of 27 first through thirdgraders in an English/Spanish bilingual program was investigated.,Samples of the children's writing were collected at four intervalsduring the school year,coded for computer tallying,and analyzed interms of code-switching,spelling,punctuation and segmentation,structural features,stylistic devices,and content in addition,thecontext in which the writing developed was evaluated by means ofclassroom observations,teacher interviews,review of the children'sfamily backgrounds,and a survey of the community language situation.The findings provided evidence to counter prevailing myths about thelanguage proficiency of bilinguals,biliteracy,bilingual education,research on writing,literacy and writing instruction,and learningto write.For example,the subjects,all children of migrant workersor settled migrants,demonstrated varied vocabulary,complex syntax,acknowledgement of the reader,knowledge that context constrainsform,and movement toward stylistic sophistication in their writing.In a discussion of implications,the concept of a whole languageapproach to writing instruction is supported,in which authentic andfunctional texts are offered to and produced by children.(RW) ***★****★**★★*★*★★★*★*★★*★*★*★★*★★*★*★★*★★★★★★★★★★★★★★*★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made ★* from the original document. ★ *******★*************★*★**★★*★*★*******★★★★*★*★******★★******★*★★*★*★★★ 75012203 FL013 203 J # Developmentof Writing in a Bilingual Program FINAL REPORT FOR GRANT NO.NIE G-81-0051 Carole EdelskyElementary Educt1c..Arizona State UniversityTempe,Arizona 85287 M k 1982( o2 With special help from Sarah Hudelson,Florence Barkin,and Kristina Jilbert. U.8.DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONEOUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER IERICI X Thes document has been raproducad aracervod from the person or organizationoriginating it Mnor changes have ben made to improvereproduction quaity ● Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessanly represent offical NIEposition or policy. "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Carole Edelsky TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER(ERIC)." # Development of Writing in a B1lingua1 Program Table of Contents VolumePagePreface 11Introduction31Methodology52Contexts125The Myths and the Reality167Talliea Findings from Codingsof Writing21Looking Ahead by Looking Back185References218 3 PREFACE It's still possible to hear it in teachers'lounges andread itin the popular press---"they don't know Spanish andthey don't know English either.There is also an academic,version. In that one,the deficit notion goes by the name of"semilingualism"or "1imited English dominant"and the refer-ent is a condition supposedly underlying low test scores orlow achievement in traditionally-defined reading and LanguageArts programs. It is a condition suffered by many poorminority language children(Cummins,1979;Skutnabb-Kangas6 Toukonaa,1976)who usually live in language-contactsituations. No matter that the systenaticity and'legitimacy ofnon-standard dialects has been demonstratedso well byLabov(1970a)and so many others.No matter that rapidcode switching,which is often a feature

FAQs

本研究调查的对象是谁？

研究对象为英语/西班牙双语项目中的27名一年级到三年级学生，并在学年期间的多个时间点收集其写作样本。

研究如何分析学生写作发展？

样本被编码以统计并分析代码转换、拼写、标点与分段、结构特征、文体装置及内容；同时结合课堂观察、教师访谈、家庭背景资料与社区语言状况调查进行情境评估。

研究结论支持哪些关于双语写作的观点？

结果提供证据反驳关于双语者语言能力与写作教学的常见误解，表明学生在词汇、句法复杂度、对读者的回应意识以及写作风格成熟度方面存在多样且积极的发展，并支持使用整体语言（whole language）写作教学理念。

Aug 25, 2026

Uploaded by Levi