Responses to socio-psycholinguistic composition instruction in a secondary classroom : toward a transactional stance for teacher researchers

Abstract

Recently, transactions among the student, teacher, and instructional context have become a focus of teachers and researchers looking for theoretically sound instructional methods. This socio-psycholinguistic focus has precipitated what amounts to a paradigm shift in composition instruction. This dissertation began as a study of students' responses to that kind of instruction. During 1984-85, the teacher researcher used socio-psycholinguistically based writing activities with approximately 100 students. Half of them were tenth and eleventh graders identified as gifted and talented; half were twelfth graders identified as below-level. The original research questions focused on (a) changes in students' writing products, (b) students' attitudes toward writing, (c) students' use of the writing process, and (d) the high as compared to low achievers. The data gathering methods included (a) pre- and post-instructional writing sample, (b) pre- and post-instructional writing apprehension measure, (c) dialogue journals, (d) teacher researchers' fieldnotes, and (e) student interviews. Two themes emerged. First, transactionality, as defined by Louise Rosenblatt, describes these language learning experiences. From a transactional perspective, a language experience is viewed as more than an exchange or manipulation of information; it is an event which changes both participants and context. Second, students who showed improvement displayed an increased willingness to take cognitive and interpersonal risks. Transactionality is implied in much of the socio-psycholingistic literature, and a recurring implication that we need complementary approaches to instruction and research. Just as teachers must respect the holistic, individualistic, and unpredictable nature of language events, researchers must also respect the holistic, individualistic, and semiotic nature of learning events. In short, a genuine paradigm shift concerning language learning must be accompanied by a paradigm shift concerning both instruction and research methodology. In conclusion, teachers should encourage students to take cognitive and interpersonal risks as they enter into transactions as readers, as writers, and as human beings.