Investigating Persuasive Writing by 9-11 Year Olds

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Investigating Persuasive Writing by 9-11 Year Olds
Language: English
Authors: Beard, Roger, Burrell, Andrew, Homer, Matt
Source: Language and Education. 2016 30(5):417-437.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2016
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Qualitative Research, Language Usage, Guidelines, Persuasive Discourse, Writing (Composition), Advertising, School Districts, Foreign Countries, Elementary School Students, Statistical Analysis, Writing Instruction
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
DOI: 10.1080/09500782.2015.1133638
ISSN: 0950-0782
Abstract: Within research into children's persuasive writing, relatively little work has been done on the writing of advertisements, how such writing develops in the primary school years and the textual features that help to secure this development. Framed within rhetoric, writing and linguistics, an exploratory study was undertaken in which a standardised task and a repeat-measures design were used to investigate the writing of an advertisement by 112 9-10-year-old pupils from two English Local Authorities, undertaken in the spring term and again a year later. The scripts were first rated for five generic constituents of writing using the standardised task guidelines. The scripts were then rated for the use of specific textual features of advertisements. All constituents, and many textual features, showed increased use across the sample as a whole, even though further analysis showed that some children who had used certain features in Year 5 had not used them in Year 6. Qualitative analysis revealed common features within attainment subgroups in content, language use and overall effectiveness of the writing. There were indications that, if appropriately supported, experience of advertisement writing could contribute to children's abilities in tackling other forms of persuasive writing.
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 51
Entry Date: 2016
Accession Number: EJ1107065
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Within research into children's persuasive writing, relatively little work has been done on the writing of advertisements, how such writing develops in the primary school years and the textual features that help to secure this development. Framed within rhetoric, writing and linguistics, an exploratory study was undertaken in which a standardised task and a repeat-measures design were used to investigate the writing of an advertisement by 112 9-10-year-old pupils from two English Local Authorities, undertaken in the spring term and again a year later. The scripts were first rated for five generic constituents of writing using the standardised task guidelines. The scripts were then rated for the use of specific textual features of advertisements. All constituents, and many textual features, showed increased use across the sample as a whole, even though further analysis showed that some children who had used certain features in Year 5 had not used them in Year 6. Qualitative analysis revealed common features within attainment subgroups in content, language use and overall effectiveness of the writing. There were indications that, if appropriately supported, experience of advertisement writing could contribute to children's abilities in tackling other forms of persuasive writing.
ISSN:0950-0782
DOI:10.1080/09500782.2015.1133638