Knowledge about texts was examined using the definition method, investigating the criteria children use to define story, letter, and newspaper article. Forty working-class children (7-9 years old) attending the 2nd and the 4th grade of elementary school were asked the following question: "What is a story/letter/newspaper article?" The definitions were classified according to the criteria adopted (linguistic conventions, structure, content, functions, material aspects) and the way the criteria were considered (in isolation or in combination). The 2nd graders showed some difficulty in defining texts and used the criteria in isolation. The 4th graders, however, gave definitions based on precise criteria, used in combination. The criteria also varied according to the properties of the texts. The findings contributed to the understanding of the development of metatextual knowledge in children.
metatextual knowledge; text definition; children