NOW, THE WORD OF THE CHILDREN! THE DISCURSIVE EXCHANGE DURING COLLABORATIVE WRITING ACTIVITIES

Abstract

The literature indicates that young children can construct a meaningful interaction with written texts and show interest in producing them (Rego, 1988; Mayrink-Sabinson, 1998; Souza, 2003). However, there are few studies that investigate how children partake in situations in which texts are produced collaboratively, having the teacher as a scribe. In this context, the present research analyzed the discursive exchanges between children aged 5 and 6 and their teacher, during group writting activities performed in two classes in the final stage of kindergarten in two public schools. Based on a sociodiscursive approach to written language (Bronckart, 1999; Schneuwlly, 2004) text production activities, led by each teacher, were video-recorded, transcribed and analysed qualitatively. The data showed the active participation of children in the production of different discursive genres, sharing in this process, knowledge and reflections on different dimensions involved in textual production (i.e. genres characteristics, socio-interactive aspects, generation 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.