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.