Students’ voices and perspectives in research on writing

As vozes e perspetivas dos aprendentes no âmbito da investigação sobre a escrita

Abstract

The students' perspective on writing is the axis that runs across this text, based on the contribution of several studies developed in Portugal, from the nineties to the present. In the first three studies described, this perspective is captured in the course of the writing process and focused on the problem solving strategies developed by students as they write. The methodologies were based on collaborative writing and on procedural facilitation strategies that aimed at enhancing text revision. The second set of studies focuses on the students' representations about writing, considering the plurality of contexts, genres, resources, knowledge and activities involved. Methodologically, these studies involved the analysis of students´ texts about their writing as well as questionnaires, interviews, journals, field notes. The results show students´ progression in the development of the writing process as they grow older and allow a better understanding of the difficulties of younger pupils in reviewing and reformulating. As far as students´ relationship with writing is concerned, the contrast between school and out-of-school writing emerges. These findings highlight the importance of collaborative writing and procedural facilitation strategies in a didactics of writing that considers the diversity of situations, genres and motivations within and outside the school context.

Keywords: Writing; Writing didactics; Students; Research