When English Language Learners Write : Connecting Research to Practice, K-8

by Samway, Katharine Davies

• ISBN13: 9780325006338
• ISBN10: 0325006334
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-03-14
• Publisher: HEINEMANN (T)

Summary

Unfair mythologies about English language learners have sprung up in schools around the country. Unsure how to help nonnative speakers write, some teachers and administrators have resorted to deficit-based stereotypes: ELLs can't write They have writing problems They are reluctant writers They need to be taught the skills of writing before writing independently. In reality, however, ELLs benefit from the same smart, research-based instructional strategies as mainstream student writers, and in When English Language Learners Write, Katharine Davies Samway explores second language writers, shattering myths and in their place offering meaningful insight into powerful instruction. Not only does Samway provide a window into the latest research as well as practical teaching ideas, she takes you inside the minds and classroom experiences of five ELLs. She documents the ways they think, the products of their learning, and their progress as writers.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	v
Introduction	vii
A Brief History of Writing Research	1	(20)
Writing Research: A Focus on the Product	1	(2)
Beginning to Focus on the Cognitive Processes Involved When Writing	3	(1)
Writing Research: Focus on the Writer/Writing Processes	4	(10)
A Social-Behavioral View of the Writing Process	14	(1)
A Sociocognitive Model of Writing	15	(2)
The Intersection of Writing, Sociocultural Factors, and Politics	17	(1)
Writing Research: What Now?	18	(2)
Implications of the Research for Teachers of Writing	20	(1)
Core Research About the Writing of Children Who Are ELLs	21	(40)
What Does the Term Writing Refer To?	22	(1)
Young Children's Awareness of Functions of Print	22	(4)
Oral Language/Writing Connections	26	(2)
English Language Learners Can Write Before Orally Mastering the English Language	28	(2)
ELL Children Can Express Complex Thoughts and Emotions in Less Than Fluent English	30	(8)
ELL Children's Writing Is Developmental and Isn't Necessarily Linear	38	(8)
Knowledge of Writing Conventions May Be Transferred from the L1 to English	46	(1)
Being Taught to Write in the Native Language Is an Asset	47	(1)
ELLs Can Write in Both the Native and Nonnative Languages Without Being Confused	48	(2)
Similarities and Differences in Children's Writing in English and Other Languages	50	(2)
ELL Children Evaluating Writing	52	(2)
Prior Literacy Experiences May Affect How ELLs Respond to New Literacy Experiences	54	(4)
Implications of the Research for Teachers of Writing	58	(3)
Sketches of English Language Learners Becoming Writers	61	(18)
Cecilia and Diana: Writing Development of Bilingual Kindergarten and First Graders	61	(5)
Alexis: A Struggling Second Grade Writer	66	(8)
Roberto and Janice: Different Responses to Invitations to Write Authentically	74	(3)
What Do These Sketches Tell Us About ELL Writers?	77	(1)
Implications of the Research for Teachers of Writing	77	(2)
Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Social Class, and Writing	79	(22)
The Influence of Gender on Children's Writing	81	(3)
The Influence of Ethnicity and Race on Writing	84	(10)
Social Class, Socioeconomic Status, and Writing	94	(6)
Implications of the Research for Teachers of Writing	100	(1)
Reading/Writing Connections	101	(24)
Focusing on the Craft of Writing Needn't Destroy the Reading Experience	102	(1)
Ways in Which Reading and Writing Are Connected	103	(6)
The Influence of Reading on Writing	109	(13)
Implications of the Research for Teachers of Writing	122	(3)
Reflective Writing	125	(25)
Incorporating Reflective Writing in the Classroom	125	(13)
The Role of Reflective Writing in Language and Literacy Development	138	(1)
Journals as a Record of Experiences	138	(1)
Reflective Writing Supporting ELLs	139	(9)
Implications of the Research for Teachers of Writing	148	(2)
The Influence of the Environment on Children's Writing	150	(30)
One ESOL Teacher Who Established a Workshop Approach to Literacy Learning	151	(1)
Influence of School and Community Writing Experiences on Children	152	(3)
Influence of School Experiences on the Writing of ELLs: An International Perspective	155	(2)
Influence of School Experiences on the Writing of ELLs in the United States	157	(6)
Influence of the Environment on Children Writing Bilingually	163	(4)
What Do ELLs Need to Become Successful Writers?	167	(2)
What Type of Writing Program Is Best for ELLs?	169	(8)
Implications of the Research for Teachers of Writing	177	(1)
Revisiting the Survey	178	(2)
References	180	(11)
Children's and Young Adult Literature	191	(1)
Index	192