The ontogeny and the pedagogy of writing : a relational inquiry

M.Ed. (Educational Linguistics)The problem addressed in this research is the working hypothesis stating that teachers' tacit notions about individual writing development is related to their views on the pedagogy of writing. The rationale for the premise underlying the problem is that pedagogy is invariably based on teachers' conceptions of content and that unarticulated notions could accommodate conceptions which could in turn inhibit pedagogic activity, in this instance. the teaching of writing at higher capacity levels. The theory frame for this study includes readings in the phylogeny and ontogeny of writing. contemporary models of the teaching of writing and psycholinguistic theory on writing, as well as sociolinguistic views on the development and nature of writing. The theoretical premise for the research is based on Vygotskian principles of semiotics, the main ones being that writing as cultural tool and as sign impacts in a socio-cultural way on the signifiedand that the tool and sign as mediators are partners in intermental but especially also intramental functioning. The implications for pedagogy are that the meaningful teaching of writing skills and strategies could enhance mental activity (cognition) and communication. The nature of the research question presupposes a microgenetic study as format. which in turn directs the research to protocol interviews, on-site observations and analysis of documents. much of which will be of qualitative interpretive nature. A group of 16 teachers will be studied. with the microgenetic analyses focusing on three cases, selected in a stratified way. The findings of the inquiry indicate that there seems to be a relationship between the ontogeny and the pedagogy of writing, because the teachers involved in the inquiry emphasize the use of the prosthetic device, both in their own writing and in their instructional design and this is the way they were taught to write. It was also found that the teachers are deficient with regard to knowledge of the cognitive nature, the structure and the pedagogy of writing. The teachers were also found to have a positive attitude towards writing. despite the fact that their writing proficiency is severely impaired by a lack of knowledge of writing strategies as well as linguistic incompetence in Englis