Title: Diagnosing Development: A Glimpse into a
Young Writer's Mind
Date: September 24 2025
Author: Reshana Britton
This week's LIT 102 session took us deep into the concept of writing as a developmental stage, moving beyond the simple view of writing as a final product to be graded. We explored the frameworks of researchers like Harper and Brewer, which outline the typical progression young writers undergo. The theory truly came alive when we were given a real sample to analyze: a heartfelt piece titled "To Kayla" by a student named Jonathan.
The most engaging part of the class
was the hands-on group work where we collaboratively critiqued this draft to
determine which stage of writing development the writer was in. Working in my
triad, we huddled over the text, which was full of charmingly phonetic
spellings like "lownivhale" for what we guessed was 'living
room' or 'hallway,' and "flore" for 'floor.' Our task was to
look past these surface errors and diagnose the writer's current understanding.
An interesting part of our analysis was recognizing the critical role of student interest. Jonathan's piece was clearly driven by a genuine affection for Kayla (who we concluded is likely a pet), which gave his writing a sincere and moving voice. This connects directly to our earlier discussions on how interest is fuel for overcoming the challenges of writing. Furthermore, this activity underscored the teacher's vital role not as a mere corrector, but as a model and diagnostician. Instead of circling every error, we practiced asking what each "mistake" revealed about what the writer knows and is ready to learn next. For instance, the invented spelling "lownivhale" isn't just an error; it's evidence that Jonathan is confidently hearing and representing syllables, a key skill in the phonetic to transitional stage. This shift in perspective is crucial it's about modeling how to think about writing rather than just handing down corrections.
Our group consensus was that Jonathan is operating within the Transitional Stage.
His writing demonstrates
more than just isolated words; he crafts meaningful, multi-sentence text with
complex structures, like his use of "When" clauses. His spelling is
largely phonetically logical, showing he takes risks with sophisticated
vocabulary. This exercise was incredibly valuable because it made the
theoretical stages feel immediate and practical. It solidified for me that
effective writing instruction hinges on understanding where each student is in
their journey. By diagnosing the stage, we can celebrate strengths like
Jonathan's vivid ideas and risk-taking, while strategically planning the next
steps, such as focusing on common sight words or specific vowel patterns. I
left class with a much deeper appreciation for the stories hidden within young
writers' drafts and am eager to apply this diagnostic lens as we explore the
writing process and traits in future sessions.
A question for my blog partners: When you were analyzing
Jonathan's writing sample, what was the single biggest clue for you in
pinpointing his stage? Was it the spelling, the sentence structure, or
something else?
Hi Reshana,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your insights on 'Diagnosing Development' through Jonathan's piece "To Kayla." Your analysis highlights the importance of shifting our focus from merely correcting errors to understanding what those errors reveal about a student's writing journey.
I found your point about student interest particularly compelling. It is fascinating how genuine affection can shape a writer’s voice and creativity. Jonathan’s heartfelt connection to Kayla definitely adds depth to his writing, making it more engaging and meaningful.
In our triad, we concluded that Jonathan is in the Developing Writer's Stage according to Rog’s stages of writing development. This was determined by some Key characteristics of this stage which included that; he was able to elaborate on his topic using a combination of conventional and phonetic spelling for high-frequency words. Additionally, we noticed that while his writing was good, it lacked some sequencing. In addition to that, he tended to use connectives like "and" and "then" repeatedly, which impacted the flow of the narrative. It was also evident that Jonathan made a concerted effort to use correct grammar and punctuation, which was a strong indicator of his progress.
I’m eager to see how we can incorporate this diagnostic lens into our future classroomss. It is crucial that we not only celebrate the strengths of our young writers but also provide targeted support to help them progress. Thanks for sharing your reflections!
Looking forward to reading more!!
Reshana, I really enjoyed reading your reflection and felt like I was revisiting the activity through your perspective. I also found it so enlightening to look beyond what appear to be “errors” and see what they actually reveal about Jonathan’s writing skills and thinking. For me, the biggest clue that he was in the transitional stage was his sentence structure; those “When” clauses showed that he was experimenting with more complex ideas and beginning to organise his thoughts in a meaningful way. I also appreciated how you highlighted the role of student interest; it was clear that Jonathan’s affection for Kayla gave his writing such a genuine and engaging voice. This really reminded me that when students are invested in their topic, they are more willing to take risks and explore language, which makes teaching and learning so much more rewarding.
ReplyDeleteI also connected strongly with your point about the teacher’s role shifting from being a corrector to being a guide and diagnostician. It made me reflect on my own practice and how easy it is to focus too much on surface errors instead of looking for the story and thinking behind the words. Seeing writing as a developmental process rather than just a finished product has changed how I plan to approach student work. Exercises like this one have shown me that celebrating strengths, noticing risks, and planning the next learning steps based on each student’s stage can make writing instruction far more meaningful. Your reflection has inspired me to be more intentional in supporting students’ growth and to remember that each draft holds insights waiting to be uncovered. Niola Patrice!