This study has the main objective of evaluating the effectiveness of the writing component of the program applied at the Department of Basic English (DBE) and the Department of Modern Languages (DML) at Middle East Technical University (METU) in the 2010-2011 academic year in terms of program objectives, materials and content, teaching-learning process and the assessment of the writing skills. The opinions of the DBE and DML instructors, program coordinators and students as well as the content course instructors at different departments at METU were mainly obtained via questionnaires and interviews. The data collected via the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS 15 while the analysis of all the qualitative data was done though content analysis. The results of the questionnaires indicated that the writing components of the program at the DBE and the DML were generally effective as for the dimensions of the programs as specified in the research questions from the perspective of instructors and students. However, the qualitative data revealed participants&rsquo / suggestions for the improvement of the existing writing programs at both departments. Some of the major conclusions that can be drawn from DBE students&rsquo / and instructors&rsquo / suggestions are as follows: There is a need to switch the focus from discourse-level writing to more freewriting practices through more student-centered activities / the materials should be more visually attractive / the assessment procedure applied to test students&rsquo / writing ability in the mid-terms should be standardized and the writing tasks as tested in the English Proficiency Exam (EPE) should be focused on in writing classes. On the other hand, as for the writing program at the DML, the need for the diversification of the writing genres, topics and the citation rules covered in the ENG 101 and ENG 102 courses depending on students&rsquo / departments was emphasized by the DML participants. Similarly, DBE participants underlined the need for departmentrelated content in writing materials. Also, the content course instructors agreed that the writing program applied at the DBE and the DML should be department-specific. In other words, this study displayed the necessity to conduct a needs analysis aiming to reveal DBE and DML students&rsquo / writing needs for their departments.

El propósito de esta investigación cualitativa es indagar, a través de un estudio descriptivo-interpretativo, la eventual incidencia de un Programa de Alfabetización Familiar en la inclusión de los niños en la cultura escrita al ingresar al primer año escolar. Para esto se evaluarán ciertas actitudes vinculadas con el tipo de contacto que establecen los hijos de algunos participantes con la cultura de los libros y los conocimientos construidos acerca del sistema de escritura y del lenguaje escrito, como así también el desarrollo de estrategias lectoras. Se parte del análisis del Programa de Alfabetización con la Familia “Cuenta Quien Cuenta”, iniciado en el año 2006 en Paysandú, Uruguay, destinado a padres, madres y otros referentes familiares de niños hasta 5 años de edad, pertenecientes a contextos de alta vulnerabilidad económica, social y cultural. El programa tiene una duración de cuatro meses, en los se desarrollan doce talleres. En estos espacios se leen cuentos, se comparten pistas sobre cómo promover la lectura frecuente y la conversación sobre libros y cuentos en el hogar, se compaginan libros y, sobre todo, se insiste en la revalorización del rol de los asistentes como primeros agentes alfabetizadores de sus hijos. Al finalizar el período de intervención, cada hogar cuenta con alrededor de dieciséis libros de cuentos como material de lectura. El relevamiento realizado sobre otros programas y experiencias de este tipo puso de manifiesto que, en general, están centrados en la descripción del seguimiento realizado y en la socialización de registros anecdóticos, no incluyendo publicaciones que den cuenta de la evaluación de sus efectos en cuanto a los conocimientos de los niños. Por esa razón, esta investigación procura aportar un conjunto de herramientas que permitan iniciar un camino tendiente a focalizar indicadores que permitan evaluar más específicamente los alcances de las acciones realizadas. / The purpose of this qualitative research is to investigate, by means of a descriptive-interpretive approach, the potential impact of a Family Literacy Program on the inclusion of children in the written culture when they enter the first grade of primary school. This Family Literacy Program assesses the knowledge built up by some participants’ children upon the writing system, as well as about their possibilities for storytelling and the form of contact they have established with books. It starts from the analysis of the program "Cuenta Quien Cuenta” (It Matters Who Tells the Story), launched in 2006 in Paysandú, Uruguay, which is directed to parents and other family members that act as significant role models for children under 5 years old living under highly vulnerable economic, social and cultural conditions. This program is compounded by twelve workshops where stories are read, clues about how to promote discussions on books and stories at home are given, and books are elaborated. These workshops emphasized on the revalorization of the role of the participants as primary agents the children’s literacy. At the end of the intervention period, each household has twelve story books as reading materials. This research attempts to appoint a systemic observation on children’s initial literacy, considering that participation in social practices of reading and writing is the inescapable way to forming readers and writers who could have access through these practices to the necessary metalinguistic reflecting levels. In the survey conducted on other programs and experiences of this type, generally they focus on the description of the monitoring and socialization of anecdotal records, not finding publications that account for the evaluation of their effects in terms of knowledge of the children. For that reason, this research seeks to provide a set of tools to start a path tending to focus indicators to assess more specifically the scope of the actions taken.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / A presente pesquisa busca verificar se à possÃvel avaliar em larga escala a escrita de textos de alunos do 1 ano do ensino fundamental. Para tanto, foram analisadas diferentes produÃÃes textuais de crianÃas, participantes de prÃ-testes realizados pela equipe de avaliaÃÃo do PAIC-Alfa (Programa de AlfabetizaÃÃo na Idade Certa). Durante a pesquisa foram sistematizados possÃveis critÃrios de anÃlise visando a uma melhor investigaÃÃo de escritas no 1 ano, tomando uma proporÃÃo maior, num quantitativo maior de alunos. Tais critÃrios tentam contemplar aspectos essenciais da produÃÃo textual, tÃo subjetivos na avaliaÃÃo da escrita. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa e descritiva, na medida em que sÃo analisadas produÃÃes textuais de crianÃas em fase de alfabetizaÃÃo. Os dados foram colhidos em uma pesquisa de campo durante os prÃ-testes, ocasiÃes em que tambÃm foram aplicados questionÃrios de investigaÃÃo para algumas das professoras das turmas testadas, no intuito de aprofundar os estudos acerca da alfabetizaÃÃo e da produÃÃo textual das crianÃas que estavam sendo avaliadas. Para aprofundar a anÃlise qualitativa, tambÃm foi realizado um laboratÃrio com especialistas em avaliaÃÃo e alfabetizaÃÃo, em que foram observadas categorias de anÃlise da produÃÃo escrita de crianÃas no 1 ano do Ensino Fundamental. Este estudo foi importante para entender peculiaridades das escritas infantis, achados preciosos, que revelaram a capacidade de crianÃas que, com menos de sete anos, estudantes de escola pÃblica, conseguiram escrever textos, com sentido, significado e obedecendo a padrÃes convencionais da escrita; e aquelas que nÃo o conseguiram jà tinham, no mÃnimo, se aproximado de escritas prÃ-silÃbicas e silÃbicas, nÃveis tambÃm interessantes em crianÃas com essa idade e avaliadas no meio do 1 semestre do ano letivo. Os resultados desse trabalho mostraram que à possÃvel a avaliaÃÃo da escrita em larga Escala de crianÃas em processo de alfabetizaÃÃo, especificamente, no 1 ano do Ensino Fundamental, considerando a avaliaÃÃo como diagnÃstica e com o objetivo da intervenÃÃo na aprendizagem. / This research aims to verify whether it is possible to evaluate large-scale writing texts for students of 1st year of elementary school. Thus, we analyzed different textual productions of children participating in pre-tests conducted by the evaluation team of the Alfa-PAIC (Age Literacy Program in One). During the study, we systematized possible criteria for analysis in order to better investigate written in the 1st year, taking a greater proportion, a greater quantity of students. These criteria attempt to cover essential aspects of textual production, as the subjective assessment of writing. This is a qualitative and descriptive in that it is analyzed textual productions of children in the literacy phase. In the research field during the pre-tests, data were collected and questionnaires were applied to research some of the teachers of the classes tested in order to deepen the studies of literacy and the textual production of the children who were being evaluated. For further qualitative analysis, a laboratory evaluation specialists and literacy was held in which categories were observed analyzing the written production of children at 1 year of elementary school. This study was important to understand the peculiarities of writing for children, precious findings, which revealed the ability of children with less than seven years, public school students, were able to write texts with meaning, significance and obeying the conventional standards of writing, and those who had not succeeded, at least, approached written pre-syllabic and syllabic levels also interesting for children at this age and evaluated in the middle of the first semester of the school year. The findings showed that it is possible to evaluate large-scale writing of children in the literacy process, specifically, in the 1st grade of elementary school, considering the evaluation as a diagnostic and intervention with the goal of learning.

SILVA, Maria Leonir do Nascimento. Contribuições pedagógicas para a avaliação em larga escala da produção escrita nas séries iniciais do ensino fundamental. 2012. 128f. – Dissertação (Mestrado) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Programa de Pós-graduação em Educação Brasileira, Fortaleza (CE), 2012. / Submitted by Márcia Araújo (marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-02-25T17:37:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2012-DIS-MLNSILVA.pdf: 2850767 bytes, checksum: bbd93ccfb917789a21a4880c4a10ef63 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Márcia Araújo(marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-02-25T18:02:28Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2012-DIS-MLNSILVA.pdf: 2850767 bytes, checksum: bbd93ccfb917789a21a4880c4a10ef63 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-02-25T18:02:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2012-DIS-MLNSILVA.pdf: 2850767 bytes, checksum: bbd93ccfb917789a21a4880c4a10ef63 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / This research aims to verify whether it is possible to evaluate large-scale writing texts for students of 1st year of elementary school. Thus, we analyzed different textual productions of children participating in pre-tests conducted by the evaluation team of the Alfa-PAIC (Age Literacy Program in One). During the study, we systematized possible criteria for analysis in order to better investigate written in the 1st year, taking a greater proportion, a greater quantity of students. These criteria attempt to cover essential aspects of textual production, as the subjective assessment of writing. This is a qualitative and descriptive in that it is analyzed textual productions of children in the literacy phase. In the research field during the pre-tests, data were collected and questionnaires were applied to research some of the teachers of the classes tested in order to deepen the studies of literacy and the textual production of the children who were being evaluated. For further qualitative analysis, a laboratory evaluation specialists and literacy was held in which categories were observed analyzing the written production of children at 1 year of elementary school. This study was important to understand the peculiarities of writing for children, precious findings, which revealed the ability of children with less than seven years, public school students, were able to write texts with meaning, significance and obeying the conventional standards of writing, and those who had not succeeded, at least, approached written pre-syllabic and syllabic levels also interesting for children at this age and evaluated in the middle of the first semester of the school year. The findings showed that it is possible to evaluate large-scale writing of children in the literacy process, specifically, in the 1st grade of elementary school, considering the evaluation as a diagnostic and intervention with the goal of learning. / A presente pesquisa busca verificar se é possível avaliar em larga escala a escrita de textos de alunos do 1º ano do ensino fundamental. Para tanto, foram analisadas diferentes produções textuais de crianças, participantes de pré-testes realizados pela equipe de avaliação do PAIC-Alfa (Programa de Alfabetização na Idade Certa). Durante a pesquisa foram sistematizados possíveis critérios de análise visando a uma melhor investigação de escritas no 1º ano, tomando uma proporção maior, num quantitativo maior de alunos. Tais critérios tentam contemplar aspectos essenciais da produção textual, tão subjetivos na avaliação da escrita. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa e descritiva, na medida em que são analisadas produções textuais de crianças em fase de alfabetização. Os dados foram colhidos em uma pesquisa de campo durante os pré-testes, ocasiões em que também foram aplicados questionários de investigação para algumas das professoras das turmas testadas, no intuito de aprofundar os estudos acerca da alfabetização e da produção textual das crianças que estavam sendo avaliadas. Para aprofundar a análise qualitativa, também foi realizado um laboratório com especialistas em avaliação e alfabetização, em que foram observadas categorias de análise da produção escrita de crianças no 1º ano do Ensino Fundamental. Este estudo foi importante para entender peculiaridades das escritas infantis, achados preciosos, que revelaram a capacidade de crianças que, com menos de sete anos, estudantes de escola pública, conseguiram escrever textos, com sentido, significado e obedecendo a padrões convencionais da escrita; e aquelas que não o conseguiram já tinham, no mínimo, se aproximado de escritas pré-silábicas e silábicas, níveis também interessantes em crianças com essa idade e avaliadas no meio do 1º semestre do ano letivo. Os resultados desse trabalho mostraram que é possível a avaliação da escrita em larga Escala de crianças em processo de alfabetização, especificamente, no 1º ano do Ensino Fundamental, considerando a avaliação como diagnóstica e com o objetivo da intervenção na aprendizagem.