Exploring the Utility of a Simple Model of Writing

Are speaking and writing very much alike, or significantly different, and how do spoken language skills relate to writing? These are important questions, with implications in both theoretical and practical domains. However, notwithstanding a modest, but growing body of research, the nature of the relationship between spoken and written language continues to remain somewhat opaque at this point in time. The aim of this thesis was to explore the relationship between spoken and written language in a group of Year 5 children (aged 9 -10) within two UK primary schools. The investigation was framed by an alternative construction of a Simple Model of Writing closely mirroring the structure of the model used to represent the Simple View of Reading (SVR). In the proposed model, variability in written language skills is seen to be substantially predicted by spoken language and transcription skills. Seventy-four Year five students, aged nine to ten, attending two primary schools in the South of England kindly provided samples of their spoken language, written language, and transcription skills (spelling and handwriting). The data was analysed using a range of statistical measures designed to identify relationships between variables, with a primary focus on the relationship between spoken and written language. Analysis of the data confirmed the theoretical premise of the model, but suggested that, at this point in their education, spelling had a greater effect than spoken language skills on writing quality.