PEER RELATIONSHIPS AND WRITING DEVELOPMENT - A MICROGENETIC ANALYSIS

Background. Recent research has begun to examine the facilitative role of close relationships, such as friendships, in the process of early literacy learning. It is:believed that the quality of specific relatio nships can provide extensive support for literacy development and that the role of peer relationships in the context of writing may be signi ficant. In this study, the actual processes by which children learn to use literate language and learn to write were documented, microgeneti cally. Aims. The purpose of the study was to determine whether an aspe ct of the social context in which writing typically occurs, namely the relationship of interactants, has consequences for children's use of literate language and early writing. Sample. The sample was class of 1 2 male and 8 female students attending a rural public school in the so uth-eastern United States, with a mean age of 88 months. Methods. In t he study, 7-8 year-old pupils' written narratives, composed using a wo rd processor, were examined to identify lexico-grammatical effects. Si multaneously, children's talk while writing was analysed to determine the extent of their use of 'meta' terms or literate language. Particip ant relationships were manipulated to determine the influence of frien dship on children's literate language and early writing. At the same t ime a microgenetic approach was adopted to examine temporal changes in children's oral and written language. Results. The results supported the prediction that narratives composed by pupils working in close pro ximity to a friend would be more well formed than narratives composed by non-friends. Furthermore, interacting with a close friend during na rrative writing tasks elicited children's use of metacognitive and met alinguistic language. Conclusions. The results are discussed in terms of the facilitative effects of close relationships on children's oral and written language.