School discourse
Subtitle: learning to write across the years of schooling
By: Frances Christie, Beverly Derewianka.
Contributors: Derewianka, Beverly.
Series: Continuum discourse series
Publisher: Continuum
Published: 2008
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 267
ISBN-13: 9780826499929
Subjects: Children -- Writing; English language -- Written English -- Study and teaching; Language and education
Description: Writing development has been a key area of research in applied linguistics for some time but most work has focused on children's writing at particular ages, for example, at the early primary, late primary or secondary stage.  Christie and Derewianka draw on extensive research in both primary and secondary years to trace the developmental trajectory from age 5 or 6 through to 18.  Using a systemic functional grammar, they outline developmental changes in writing in three major areas of the school curriculum - English, history, and science - as children move from early childhood to late childhood and on to adolescence and adulthood.  The book considers the nature of the curriculum at various stages, discussing the interplay of curriculum goals, pedagogy and developmental changes as children grow older.  It also explores how emergent control of the different subjects requires control of various subject specific literacies and considers the pedagogical implications of their findings.  It will be of interest to anyone involved in the writing performance of children in schools, particularly applied and educational linguists.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [245]-255) and index.