NOW, THE WORD OF THE CHILDREN! DISCURSIVE EXCHANGES DURING COLLABORATIVE WRITING ACTIVITIES IN CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

ABSTRACT:

Literature points out that young children can construct a meaningful interaction with written texts and are interested to produce them (Mayrink-Sabinson, 1998; Rego, 1988; Souza, 2003). However, few studies investigate how children partake in situations in which texts are collaboratively produced, having the teacher as a transcriber. In this context, the present research analyzed the discursive exchanges between children aged 5 and 6 and their teachers, during group writing activities in two classes in the last year of kindergarten in two public schools. Based on a sociodiscursive approach to written language (Bronckart, 1999; Schneuwly, 2004), text production activities led by the teachers, were video-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed qualitatively. Data showed children’s active participation in producing different discursive genres, sharing in this process, knowledge, and reflections on different dimensions involved in textual production (i.e. genres characteristics, socio-interactive aspects, creation of textual content, the graphic signs used for writing, and the revision of writing). Teacher mediation, in a dialogical perspective and with interventions that drew children's attention to such dimensions, proved to be a key element in enhancing children's engagement in the activity and in promoting a co-authoring experience in the writing of texts. We concluded that discursive exchanges, mediated by teachers during group writing activities, can stimulate significant learning situations shared among children.

Keywords: Early Childhood Education; written language; group writing