Examining Primary School Content and Language Integrated Learning Writing Through the Simple View of Writing

Abstract

This dissertation uses the Simple View of Writing to investigate Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) writing development through three research studies: one systematic review and two empirical studies. The introduction to this dissertation provides an overview of conceptualizations of writing, CLIL, and Taiwan’s recent proposal for developing into a bilingual nation through CLIL instruction.

The introduction is followed by the first study which examines previous research on CLIL writing measurement and outcomes through a systematic search of the literature. The review shows that research on CLIL writing can be divided into two categories, research on CLIL versus non-CLIL writing outcomes and research on CLIL growth. Within these studies, researchers use four categories of writing measurement: vocabulary measures, rubrics, complexity/accuracy/fluency (CAF) measures, and content analysis. The study highlights the use of singular metrics to examine writing rather than examinations through models that account for the dimensions of the Simple View of Writing.

The second study investigates CLIL writing as a product by testing the fit of a higher-order model based on the Simple View of Writing with narrative and expository writing data collected from primary school CLIL students in Taiwan. Results show that a model accounting for transcription and ideation exhibits a better fit with the data than a single-factor model, suggesting that the Simple View of Writing may adequately explain writing as a product for CLIL primary students.

The final study measures the effect of gender, spelling, vocabulary, and oral language skills on writing for primary sixth grade CLIL students in Taiwan. The study examines CLIL writing as a cognitive process driven by transcription and ideation component skills affected by gender. Using two hierarchical regression models for narrative and expository writing, results show the possibility of transcription and ideation component skills as predictors of writing. Additionally, it was found that gender may also be a predictor of writing outcomes when accounting for ideation ability. However, additional research is needed to better understand the contributions of transcription, ideation, and gender for predicting writing.

The dissertation concludes with recommendations for CLIL researchers and practitioners. Specifically, it encourages the use of the Simple View of Writing as a framework for investigating CLIL writing and planning curriculum and instruction in CLIL classrooms both in Taiwan and around the world.