Written Communication Apr 1991

Dialogues of Deliberation

MELANIE SPERLING

Abstract

Through the use of case study portraits, this article examines naturally occurring one-to-one writing conference conversations between a ninth-grade English teacher and three students in his class. Suggesting a broadened model of effective writing conference instruction, the article considers composing processes that appear to be privileged in the conference context when different students are learning to write. The focus is on the dialogic nature of markedly contrasting conversations, demonstrating that while dialogue wears many guises and while the give and take between teacher and student can be fleeting and “forgettable,” the conversational context contributes to a deliberative process critical to the process of composing. Methodology for the research on which this article is based drew on ethnographic techniques combined with discourse analysis of writing conference conversation.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
1991-04-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088391008002001
Open Access
Closed
Topics
discourse analysis qualitative research multimodality

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

  1. LARSON (1999)
    Analyzing Participation Frameworks in Kindergarten Writing Activity
    Written Communication

Cites in this index (7)

  1. Sperling (1990)
    I Want to Talk to Each of You: Collaboration and the Teacher-Student Writing Co…
    Research in the Teaching of English
  2. SPERLING et al. (1987)
    A Good Girl Writes Like a Good Girl
    Written Communication
  3. Walker et al. (1987)
    Writing Conference Talk: Factors Associated with High- and Low-Rated Writing Co…
    Research in the Teaching of English
  4. Rose (1982)
    Spoken versus Written Criticism of Student Writing: Some Advantages of the Conf…
    College Composition and Communication
  5. Perl (1979)
    The Composing Processes of Unskilled College Writers
    Research in the Teaching of English
Show all 7 →
  1. Jacobs et al. (1977)
    Helping Writers to Think: The Effect of Speech Roles in Individual Conferences …
    College English
  2. Knapp (1976)
    Contract/Conference Evaluations of Freshman Composition
    College English
Also cites 8 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.1080/00405847909542836
     ↗
  2. 10.2307/356600
     ↗
  3. Gumperz, J.
    Discourse strategies
     ↗
  4. 10.2307/376356
     ↗
  5. 10.1353/lan.1974.0010
     ↗
  6. 10.1080/01638538909544733
     ↗
  7. Vygotsky, L. S.
    Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes
     ↗
  8. 10.2307/357634
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 20 View in citation network →

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