A dynamic systems approach to writing assessment in students with languagelearning problems

Speech-language pathologists have not typically included writing as part of instructional or intervention goals. This omission may be related to the s parse research data on writing development in children with a language lear ning disability (LLD). Like reading and spelling, writing results from comp lex interactions among the linguistic and discourse systems and changes ove r time from an oral style of communication to a more literate style. One pu rpose of this article is to describe individual differences in the phases o f writing development, drawing on examples from students who are typically developing, and those with an LLD. Special emphasis is given to the differe ntiation of audience and syntactic choices during the school-age years as c ritical elements in communicating the "writer' s voice." Using an illustrat ive case study of a 10-year-old, the second purpose is to demonstrate how s chool-based writing samples can serve as a dynamic tool for analysis of int eractions among the linguistic and discourse systems. The multiple levels a ddressed include genre knowledge, concept of audience, clausal and nonclaus al complexity, spelling, and punctuation. A major assessment issue is wheth er the writing problems of individual students stem from an unrecognized LL D, instructional inadequacies, or both factors. Suggestions are offered for better meeting individual needs through combining explicit strategy instru ction for composing and self-regulation with explicit linguistic strategies that enhance semantic and syntactic options in writing.