Methodological challenges in the study of young minority pupils' writing development

1. Methodological challenges in the study of young minority pupils' writing development Ingebjørg TonneOslo University College, Faculty of Education and International studies

2. My project – written literacy • In my project I study minority pupils’ written literacy development. • The project is part of a larger project in which the library is seen as a place of great potential for enhancing literacy and inclusive education.

3. Cooperation across professions – selection of literature • The teacher and the librarian together guide the pupils in selecting suitable reading, mostly fiction literature, but also other types of genres.

4. Details of the study • The group under study is a Norwegian 4th grade class of pupils with varied language backgrounds.

5. Details … • A small study, one class of approx 25 pupils • No test group available – the other classes on the same level at that school also partly participate in the content of the project

6. Texts • For my project, texts are and will be collected and studied throughout the period (2008-2011). • The texts will be check for development with regard to choice of words, spelling, syntax, text grammar and genre repertoire (mastery of genres).

7. Text examples • Non-fiction • Fiction

8. KATT AV ABDI [1][CAT by ABDI] UTSENE De har fire bein en hale et hode to ører to øyne en mun og en nese. vor den bor. De kan ha eier og bo i hus eler vere vildyr. Den spiser fisk mus ful og katemat. De fleste liker å klatre i trær. Noen liker og gå tur. Noen kan hope høyt. [Looks They have four legs one tail one head two ears two eyes one mouth and one nose. where it lives. They can have owner and live in house or bea wilanimals. It eats fish mice bird and catfod. Most of them like to climb trees. Some like to go for a walk. Some can jum high.] [1] The name is changed

9. Skjønnlitterære sjangrer - Fortellinger uten plott

10. Bakventskolen [backwards-school](written by minority language pupil) Det var en gang en jente som het Avre. Alle kom naken til skolen. Når vi spiser så spiser vi smågodt. Alle barna kommer om natta. Vi kler normmale klær ute og inne kler vi dress. Når vi låner bøker fra biblioteket så tegner vi boka isteden og lese. Når vi kommer hjem så er det morgen. [Once upon a time there was a girl called Avre. Everybody came naked to school. When we eat we eat sweets. All the children come in the night time. We dress up in normmal clothes outside and inside we dress in [out-door clothing]. When we borrow books from the library then we draw book instead and read. When we come home then it is morning.]

11. Bakventland [backwards-land]FORFATER Soria [autor Soria] Det var en gang ei jente som flyta til bakventland. Hun het Henriete. Forige uke fikk hun en sekk som hun vile ha på rygg men moren henes sa ”nei vi er i bakventland sa hun. Så gikk Henriete til skolen. Alle guttene hadde på jente klær og alle jentene hadd på gutte klær. Så rang kirkeklokka og alle gikk in. Så spurte henriete læreren vorfor er du naken så sa læreren ”MOSDITLA” va sa henriete men læreren hørte ingenting. Henriete så at alle skrev med lakris og pinner. Skole dagen var gøy du fikk ikke låv å rydde bare rote og vi lærte ingen verdens ting I bakventland.

12. Interesting issues of investigation? • look for a correspondence between each pupil’s eagerness to read literature (as reported by the teacher), with his or her rapidity in the development of writing. • see whether there is a difference in the speed of the development in their narrative texts vs. their non-fiction/argumentative texts. • look for a difference in the impact of the extended reading experiences of these pupils that may be revealed between the native speakers of Norwegian and the minority language pupils

13. Questions • How can my study of written literacy development be designed such that it yields interesting and valid data and analyses? • What are important conditions for validity in this specific context?