to move onto areas that interested the researchers, semi-structured interviews with many prompts were conducted( Burgess, 1985).
FINDINGS – WRITING PROTOCOLS
In the presentation of the writing protocol data, we will use a phoneticised rendition of Macedonian, rather than using Cyrillic script. The transcriptions are presented using the following conventions:
Italic Macedonian script – Sample from the Macedonian text( SW indicates the child was speaking while writing)
( Bold script in brackets) – Translation of the Macedonian written sample
Underlined bold script – Sample from the English text
( Regular English / Macedonian script in brackets) – Student’ s talk
Regular underlined English / Macedonian script – Researcher’ s talk
Examples of Ivana’ s complete protocols are included below so the reader can have a sense of what a whole protocol looked like.
All six children were given the choice of writing in English first or in Macedonian, but all began writing the Macedonian text first. This also might have been influenced by the daily relationship with their teacher, since they regularly used the Macedonian language with her. It is also important to point out that the children had regular writing sessions in Macedonian where they wrote on different topics and used a variety of text types. They acquired writing skills and strategies during writing sessions in both Macedonian and English.
Table 2 shows the strategies that the six children used in their Macedonian and English writing. The reader will see there is only one instance of a strategy used in one language not being used in the other( Petar).
Children Angela Maria Petar Ivana Simon Damian Strategies E M E M E M E M E M E M Self correcting * * * * * * * * * * * *
Use of correct script / written form
Making inference, Connecting & Summarising
Phonetic spelling
* * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * *
Rereading * * Table 2: Strategies used in writing
The children’ s writing strategies will be discussed with reference to Arndt’ s( 1990) categories, used in the analysis of the transcripts. The strategies will be illustrated with examples from the protocols.
Planning
When the children were asked to write a recount of the previous day at school, it was not surprising that they did not need a very long time for planning. Although all six children were familiar with the structure of a procedural recount, only Angela, Simon and Damian started their recounts immediately whereas Maria, Petar and Ivana were a little reluctant at the start. Petar was unsure how to start, and practised aloud. He used simple sentences and known vocabulary to avoid mistakes. He thinks in Macedonian and translates into English. He is the most advanced bilingual of all six, but does not like taking risks.
Petar’ s example
( Misla imavme čitawe so mis T. Da piša...) PL Kako Ḱe počneš?
( Včera, jas, ne, saka da reča, včera oddelenieto, mojot grupa čitavme.) PL
Vč era nie i.. m.. avme č itawe.( Točka) SW Translation:
( I think we had reading with Miss T. Do I write?) PL How are you going to start?( Yesterday I, no, I want to say, yesterday the grade, my group was reading.) PL( Yesterday we h.. a.. d reading.)( Full stop) SW
Rehearsal
Not all of the children used oral rehearsal of their writing. Rehearsing rarely appears in Maria’ s transcript. Simon started orally at first, then spoke and wrote. He seems to think in
Ivana’ s Macedonian Protocol
( Kako se vika { e toa { to go imavte?) Circle time.( A nadvor { to imavte?) Parada.( Ajde sega napi { i.) Koga be { e?( Vo sredata.) ����������������������������������������������������������������������( Namesto sekoj od u ~ ili { teto kako mo`e { da napi { e {?) Site.( Posle { to pravea?) Odea okolu.( Koj ode { e okolu?) Sekoj odea okolu...( Zo { to ova go dodade) Imaja deca vo odelenieto i so nastavni ~ kite ������������������������������������������������������������( Aplaudiravte?) ������������������������ ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� raa. Koga nie bevme na red … jas go sakav paradata oti be { e mnogu interesno.
Ivana’ s Macedonian Protocol( Translation)
( How do you say that?) Circle time.( What was that outside?) A parade.( You can write now.) When was it?( On Wednesday) We had different costumes. All from the school“ like” they were there.( Instead‘ all’ what you can write?) Everybody.( Then, what they were doing?) They were walking around.( Who was walking around?) Everyone was walking around( why did you add this?) They had children in the grades and with the teachers they were walking, when the grade was walking“ like we were cheering”( Applauding?) ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Ivana’ s English Protocol
In Wednesday we had a parade. Everyone in the school participated … Oti site bea od { koloto. We all had different costumes … Going g o i ng in circles to show their costumes. Then they came around we were clapping …( Ovde napi { a‘ Jas go sakav paradata’, a vo angliskiot tekst go smena, zo { to?) Taka, ne znam.
Volume 47 Number 2 19