The two major purposes of this study were - (1) to identify and describe various models of language arts instruction ranging from very content-centered, segmented to very student-centered, integrated; and (2) to describe the effects of those models, and certain variables operating within the models, on the writing of second and third graders. / Two observation instruments were designed and pilot tested. The instruments allowed trained observers to record the amount of student to student talk in the classrooms and to place each classroom on a numerical continuum representing the range of instructional models. / The subjects of the descriptive study were 10 teachers and 180 students in Leon County, Florida. Extended observations of these classes by a team of observers indicated the ten teachers employed different models of language arts instruction representing the full range of the continuum of instructional models. / During four instructional weeks in the spring of 1981, all the written work of the 180 students was collected and the number of words copied and composed by each student was counted. Two samples of writing were collected for analysis. The two samples were analyzed by a group of raters trained to use an analytic scale and by a computer text analysis program. Data was analyzed by correlating the various measures of writing quality with different variables related to students and to instructional models. / Two variables were identified that seemed to have positive effects on student writing. Positive correlations existed between the quality of writing, and (1) the number of words composed daily by students, and (2) the amount of direct teacher to student communication. In the classes with good writers, students were inspired to compose almost daily and teachers used approximately 40% of their language arts instructional time for teacher-student conferences. Although the data did not provide a clear endorsement of any particular model on instruction, four of the five "good writing classes" were rated as being student-centered, integrated. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-10, Section: A, page: 4290. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74645 |
| Contributors | HEMPHILL, JOHN MAX., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 198 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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