This present study investigates the development of second language (L2) Chinese learners’ writing by 1) subjective ratings of essay quality, 2) a battery of objective measures representing the general syntactic complexity as well as specific syntactic features, and 3) the sources of verb phrase complexity used by learners of different institutional levels. This study first compares the subjective ratings of the essays written by learners across four institutional levels and then uses Cumulative Linked Model to examine the contribution of the objective measures of linguistic features to the essay ratings. This study further identifies a number of sources used by learners to construct complex verb phrases, which is an important contributor of the essay rating, and compares the amount of usages by learners at different institutional levels. The purpose of the study is to better understand L2 Chinese learners’ syntactic development in writing from multi-dimensional perspectives, and to identify the most crucial elements that determine the quality of writing. This study recruits 105 L2 Chinese college learners to write a narrative essay and an argumentative essay according to the prompts. Each of the writing sample is rated by two independent raters according to the holistic ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, as well as the analytic rubric which was adapted from the ESL Composition Profile for this study. The derivation of syntactic complexity measures was based on the rank scales of lexicogrammar in Systemic Functional Linguistics (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2014), involving 12 features at the levels of clause complex, clause, and verb phrase, some of which represent constructions unique to Chinese. A series of statistical tests, including Kruskal-Wallis tests, Dunn’ tests, Spearman’ correlation tests, and CLM are performed to answer that research questions. The findings show that 1) learners’ overall writing quality measured by holistic and analytic ratings do not show significant differences across the first several academic years; 2) higher-level learners are more heterogeneous in writing ability than lower-level learners; 3) phrasal complexity contributes more to the essay quality than clausal complexity; 4) syntactic complexity features that learners develop fastest hardly overlap with those that contribute most to the essay rating; 5) complex verbal phrases come from 10 different sources and the composition of complex verbal phrases remain stable across the groups; and 6) essay types makes significant differences in terms of holistic and analytic ratings, use of syntactic complexity features, as well as their contribution to the essay ratings. From the pedagogical view, this study points out that instruction should focus more on complexity at the phrasal level, especially nominalization and complex verb phrases, that play a more important role to determine the writing quality. Some of the current focus in instruction may not necessarily lead to better quality or higher proficiency in Chinese writing.

<p>Syftet med mitt arbete är att undersöka högläsningens roll i barns sätt att lära sig läsa och förstå vad läsning innebär. Många föräldrar läser sagor för sina barn kanske utan att tänka på den positiva inverkan det har. Det är just dessa faktorer jag vill lyfta fram.</p><p>Genom litteraturstudier och intervjuer framkommer det att högläsning har en märkbar påverkan på ett barns förmåga att lära sig läsa. Genom att iaktta läsarens samspel med t.ex. en bok eller tidning kan ett barn komma underfund med att dessa föremål innehåller något som väcker läsarens intresse. Barnet kan observera läsaren interaktion med boken och texten vilket ger barnet en läsmodell eller förebild att följa.</p><p>Högläsning tillsammans med ett eller flera barn ger också möjlighet för barnen att utöka sitt ordförråd samt att diskutera både texter och för dem okända ord. Just i detta syfte kan gruppens storlek ha olika påverkan.</p> / <p>The purpose with my essay is to explore the role of reading aloud in children’s way of coming to terms with what reading is. Many parents might read stories for their children without realizing its positive influence. These are the aspects I would like to address.</p><p>Through literature studies as well as interviews it shows that where is a noticeable deferens between children that have or have not been read to in their ability to learn how to read. Through observing the readers interaction with for example a book or a paper the child can realize that these objects contain something of interest to the reader. The child can note the reader’s interactions with the book or a text which provides the child with a foundation in its understanding of what reading is and the child also gets a role model.</p><p>When you read aloud to one or several children, it also gives them the opportunity to expand their vocabulary and furthermore to discuss both different texts and to them unknown words. For this particular reason the size of the group might have different affects.</p>

<p>Syftet med det här arbetet är att lyfta fram och bidra med erfarenheter och kunskaper inom läraryrket och undervisningen i skolan, utifrån en lärares livs - och yrkesberättelse. Som redskap har jag använt mig av livsberättelsemetoden, vilket är en kvalitativ intervjumetod där det främst handlar om att lyfta fram berättaren. I det här arbetet får vi ta del av en engagerad och flexibel lärare som har arbetat i 25 år. Hon beskriver hur hon arbetar med Kiwimetoden i åldersblandade klasser, för att främja elevers läs- och skrivutveckling. I undervisningen använder sig läraren av både helhetsmetoden och ljudmetoden. Lärandet sker i sociala samspel och undervisningen individanpassas utifrån elevernas nivå, erfarenheter och intressen. Arbetet tar upp begreppen, arbetslag, traditionell undervisning, åldersblandade klasser och Kiwimetoden.</p><p> </p><p>I intervjuerna förmedlar läraren en positiv bild av barn och lärande, samt vikten av att underlätta läs- och skrivundervisningen för alla barn. Dessutom ska man inte vara rädd för att prova nya arbetssätt och metoder.</p><p> </p> / <p>The purpose of this project is to raise and contribute with experience and knowledge within the profession as a teacher and the education in school, seen from the point of view of a teacher´s lives- and profession story. As a tool I have used the lifehistory method, which is a qualitative method of interviews wich most is about to bring out the story teller. In this work we take part of an engaging and flexible teacher whom has working for 25 years as a professional teacher. She describes how she is working whit the Kiwi method in mixed ageing classes, to promote the pupils reading and writing development. In the education program the teachers use both the entirety method and the sound method. The teaching happens in social teamwork and the education is individually adapted from outside the pupil´s level of experience and interestes. The work bring up the conceptions of teamwork, traditional education, mixed ageing classes and the Kiwi method.</p><p> </p><p>In the interviews the teacher mediate a positive picture of children and their learning, the important of facilitate the reading- and writing education for all the children. Beside, you shouldn´t be afraid to try new ways of working manners and methods.</p>

Syftet med mitt arbete är att undersöka högläsningens roll i barns sätt att lära sig läsa och förstå vad läsning innebär. Många föräldrar läser sagor för sina barn kanske utan att tänka på den positiva inverkan det har. Det är just dessa faktorer jag vill lyfta fram. Genom litteraturstudier och intervjuer framkommer det att högläsning har en märkbar påverkan på ett barns förmåga att lära sig läsa. Genom att iaktta läsarens samspel med t.ex. en bok eller tidning kan ett barn komma underfund med att dessa föremål innehåller något som väcker läsarens intresse. Barnet kan observera läsaren interaktion med boken och texten vilket ger barnet en läsmodell eller förebild att följa. Högläsning tillsammans med ett eller flera barn ger också möjlighet för barnen att utöka sitt ordförråd samt att diskutera både texter och för dem okända ord. Just i detta syfte kan gruppens storlek ha olika påverkan. / The purpose with my essay is to explore the role of reading aloud in children’s way of coming to terms with what reading is. Many parents might read stories for their children without realizing its positive influence. These are the aspects I would like to address. Through literature studies as well as interviews it shows that where is a noticeable deferens between children that have or have not been read to in their ability to learn how to read. Through observing the readers interaction with for example a book or a paper the child can realize that these objects contain something of interest to the reader. The child can note the reader’s interactions with the book or a text which provides the child with a foundation in its understanding of what reading is and the child also gets a role model. When you read aloud to one or several children, it also gives them the opportunity to expand their vocabulary and furthermore to discuss both different texts and to them unknown words. For this particular reason the size of the group might have different affects.

Syftet med det här arbetet är att lyfta fram och bidra med erfarenheter och kunskaper inom läraryrket och undervisningen i skolan, utifrån en lärares livs - och yrkesberättelse. Som redskap har jag använt mig av livsberättelsemetoden, vilket är en kvalitativ intervjumetod där det främst handlar om att lyfta fram berättaren. I det här arbetet får vi ta del av en engagerad och flexibel lärare som har arbetat i 25 år. Hon beskriver hur hon arbetar med Kiwimetoden i åldersblandade klasser, för att främja elevers läs- och skrivutveckling. I undervisningen använder sig läraren av både helhetsmetoden och ljudmetoden. Lärandet sker i sociala samspel och undervisningen individanpassas utifrån elevernas nivå, erfarenheter och intressen. Arbetet tar upp begreppen, arbetslag, traditionell undervisning, åldersblandade klasser och Kiwimetoden.   I intervjuerna förmedlar läraren en positiv bild av barn och lärande, samt vikten av att underlätta läs- och skrivundervisningen för alla barn. Dessutom ska man inte vara rädd för att prova nya arbetssätt och metoder. / The purpose of this project is to raise and contribute with experience and knowledge within the profession as a teacher and the education in school, seen from the point of view of a teacher´s lives- and profession story. As a tool I have used the lifehistory method, which is a qualitative method of interviews wich most is about to bring out the story teller. In this work we take part of an engaging and flexible teacher whom has working for 25 years as a professional teacher. She describes how she is working whit the Kiwi method in mixed ageing classes, to promote the pupils reading and writing development. In the education program the teachers use both the entirety method and the sound method. The teaching happens in social teamwork and the education is individually adapted from outside the pupil´s level of experience and interestes. The work bring up the conceptions of teamwork, traditional education, mixed ageing classes and the Kiwi method.   In the interviews the teacher mediate a positive picture of children and their learning, the important of facilitate the reading- and writing education for all the children. Beside, you shouldn´t be afraid to try new ways of working manners and methods.

The current longitudinal research examined the story-writing development of students from Grades 4 to 6 (N = 178). All students began formal schooling in English in Grade 1. Students were classified in Grade 4 as typical readers (scoring above the 40th percentile in both decoding and reading comprehension; n = 72), poor decoders (scoring below the 30th percentile in decoding; n = 53), or poor comprehenders (scoring above the 40th percentile on decoding but below the 30th percentile, relative to their language group, in reading comprehension; n = 26). Students who spoke English as a first language (EL1s) and English language learners (ELLs) were proportionally represented in each reading group. A series of repeated measures ANOVAs tested the effects of language and reading group on students’ cognitive, linguistic and literacy development. Despite the fact that ELLs did not achieve native-like English language proficiency, showing delays in vocabulary and reading comprehension, they matched their EL1 peers in all other areas of cognitive and literacy development, including story-writing. Both EL1s and ELLs developed story-writing skills in a similar manner, showing significant growth from Grade 4 to Grade 6. Typically developing ELLs were thus able to attain age-appropriate story-writing levels. Additionally, poor decoders and poor comprehenders generally showed similar profiles of strengths and weaknesses, regardless of whether English was their first or second language. The major difference was that ELL poor comprehenders were more likely to have longstanding reading comprehension problems, while many EL1 poor comprehenders had improved by Grade 6. In general, poor decoders displayed more pervasive difficulties across cognitive, linguistic and literacy domains, while poor comprehenders had specific weakness in nonverbal reasoning, receptive vocabulary and listening comprehension. Nevertheless, both reading disorder groups had significant difficulties in story-writing, struggling with the mechanics of writing, sentence structure, and overall story organization. Regression analyses indicated that cognitive, linguistic and language skills were strong concurrent and longitudinal predictors of story-writing. However, the strongest predictor of Grade 6 story-writing skill was Grade 4 story-writing performance, suggesting that story-writing skills tend to be relatively stable over time. The results generally support the ‘simple view of writing’ (Berninger, 2000). Practical recommendations for assessment and instruction are presented.

In school, pupils learn to critically relate to sources of various texts. In the course of time they also learn how to make references and cite properly. Yet, alarming reports show increasing cheating and plagiarism in colleges and universities. Plagiarism prevention services are used today in Swedish high schools. We are questioning how this relates to the sociocultural perspective and curriculum view of imitation as a natural part of the learning process, communication and language. Material from depth interviews, with four teachers in the school subject Swedish about their theoretical and practical approach to students' writing process and writing development are used to deal with the issues of this thesis. The results from the interviews are analyzed in relation to a literature study on the subject. Research on the sociocultural perspective shows that imitation is a natural part of the learning process, communication and language. The form of intertextuality that occurs when texts are imitated and voices are borrowed - dialogism - is not only natural but also necessary for all writing development. We seem to be unable to discern the natural role of imitation in students’ writing development among all respondents.

The current longitudinal research examined the story-writing development of students from Grades 4 to 6 (N = 178). All students began formal schooling in English in Grade 1. Students were classified in Grade 4 as typical readers (scoring above the 40th percentile in both decoding and reading comprehension; n = 72), poor decoders (scoring below the 30th percentile in decoding; n = 53), or poor comprehenders (scoring above the 40th percentile on decoding but below the 30th percentile, relative to their language group, in reading comprehension; n = 26). Students who spoke English as a first language (EL1s) and English language learners (ELLs) were proportionally represented in each reading group. A series of repeated measures ANOVAs tested the effects of language and reading group on students’ cognitive, linguistic and literacy development. Despite the fact that ELLs did not achieve native-like English language proficiency, showing delays in vocabulary and reading comprehension, they matched their EL1 peers in all other areas of cognitive and literacy development, including story-writing. Both EL1s and ELLs developed story-writing skills in a similar manner, showing significant growth from Grade 4 to Grade 6. Typically developing ELLs were thus able to attain age-appropriate story-writing levels. Additionally, poor decoders and poor comprehenders generally showed similar profiles of strengths and weaknesses, regardless of whether English was their first or second language. The major difference was that ELL poor comprehenders were more likely to have longstanding reading comprehension problems, while many EL1 poor comprehenders had improved by Grade 6. In general, poor decoders displayed more pervasive difficulties across cognitive, linguistic and literacy domains, while poor comprehenders had specific weakness in nonverbal reasoning, receptive vocabulary and listening comprehension. Nevertheless, both reading disorder groups had significant difficulties in story-writing, struggling with the mechanics of writing, sentence structure, and overall story organization. Regression analyses indicated that cognitive, linguistic and language skills were strong concurrent and longitudinal predictors of story-writing. However, the strongest predictor of Grade 6 story-writing skill was Grade 4 story-writing performance, suggesting that story-writing skills tend to be relatively stable over time. The results generally support the ‘simple view of writing’ (Berninger, 2000). Practical recommendations for assessment and instruction are presented.

In this essay, I have examined what has been studied and presented in the theory of ICT in schools. I have based my theory on Arne Trageton’s book Att skriva sig till läsning – IKT i förskoleklass och skola (2005) and theories on children’s reading and writing development. The purpose of this study is to determine how teachers and children experience teaching with Trageton’s ICT-based model Att skriva sig till läsning and whether the model is beneficial for children's first reading and writing. Through qualitative interviews with two pedagogues from the same school and some children from first grade, I have received answers to my two questions: How do pedagogues and children experience ICT-based teaching in the context of children's first reading and writing? How do pedagogues experience the reading and writing development in first- and second-language students when using ICT-based teaching? The results showed that both pedagogues and children were positive about the model in which the computer was used as a writing tool in learning to read and write. The teachers felt that the model was suitable for all children according to their conditions. The children saw the writing as very enjoyable. For the ICT-based teaching to work properly, the technology has great significance. The usage of computers is not a problem for neither the pedagogues nor the children. Access to computers is perceived as the reason why there are only two scheduled ICT-based lessons a week

This report describes a comparative study about reading- and writing development in “A-towns school” in The Gambia and in “Villaskolan” in Sweden. The purpose of this study is to compare two teachers in Sweden with two teachers and two volunteers from the school in Gambia, with focus on their thoughts and methods on teaching reading and writing at each school and in their social context. The aim is also to observe and describe how classroom environment at both schools can encourage students to read and write. The theoretical base of this study is rooted in a sociocultural perspective but I have also chosen to illuminate behaviorism and cognitivism. The study is qualitative and the main research methods are interviews and observations of the classrooms. My conclusions are, even though considerable differences in approach and conditions, teachers in both schools work hard and show dedication towards their students. Another finding is that teachers use different techniques and working methods to achieve the same goal -to teach their students to read and write based on what is required of them in their cultural and social context. The different ways of teaching have been caused by the existence of different perceived needs based on culture and tradition. One conclusion is also that read and write requirements for students in the Gambia and Sweden are different from each other. In Sweden there is clearly a higher demand for more advanced reading - and writing skills while one person in the Gambia is perceived to be able to read and write if he/she can handle basic administrative tasks.