Temporal Management of the Writing Process: Effects of Genre and Organizing Constraints in Grades 5, 7, and 9
Abstract
We investigated changes across grades in the cognitive demands associated with the organizing subprocess of writing. A total of 85 fifth (age M = 10.8), 88 seventh (age M = 12.9), and 79 ninth (age M = 14.6) graders composed either a procedural text or an expository description on a digital tablet, on the basis of a “scrambled ideas” paradigm. The demands of organizing were measured in terms of time management (the time spent pausing and transcribing during text production). Our results suggest a developmental change in the on-line management of the organizing subprocess. Findings indicate that only pupils from ninth grade onward adapt their writing behavior to match the task demands. Results are discussed in light of Berninger and Swanson’s developmental model of writing.
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Biographies
Lucie Beauvais, PhD, works at the Laboratoire d’Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (University of Lyon2) as a postdoctoral fellow. Her specific research interests focus on the acquisition of the cognitive processes involved in writing acquisition. Her research also involves on-line assessment of word processing in children.
Monik Favart is associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Poitiers. She is coordinator of the Writing Acquisition axis of research within the Writing Production Team. Her work mainly focuses on writing acquisition.
Jean-Michel Passerault is a professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Poitiers, and conducts research on the writing processes, especially the role of working memory in text production. His recent publications focus on the visuospatial aspects of writing.
Caroline Beauvais is assistant professor of developmental psychology, University of Paris8. Her most recent work has involved studies on the cognitive processes that underlie text production. Her research also focuses on incidental word learning while reading with elementary schools.
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Article first published online: June 13, 2014
Issue published: July 2014
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