The Missouri Reader Vol. 36, Issue 1 | Page 79
write on topics of their choice; in doing this they take
―ownership of their writing and learning‖ (p. 416). As
discussed earlier, based upon the results of this study, as
students take part in peer writing conferences, as a part of
writing workshop, students begin to develop more
independence with the literary strategies they are capable of
using.
When students are involved in the process of reading and
writing they develop metacognitive skills (Desautel, 2009;
Gunning, 2006; Vacca & Vacca, 2008). Furthermore, the
results of this study indicated that when student-led peer
writing conferences are used as a supplement for writing
workshop, students are more aware of their metacognitive
strategies. This awareness allows them to be more conscious
and confident in their metacognitive abilities. In order for selfevaluation to become an automatic process, leading to selfregulation and metacognitive thinking, students need an
awareness of their reading and writing strategies. Gunning
(2006) explains that ―through metacognition students take
control of their learning‖ (p. 363).
Mallozzi, C. A., & Mallory, J. A. (2007). Reading and writing
connections. Reading Research Quarterly, 42(1), 161-166.
doi:10.1598/RRQ.42.1.9
Tierney, R. J., Readence, J. E., & Dishner, E. K. (1995).
Reading strategies and practice: A compendium (4th ed.).
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Tompkins, G. E. (2006). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced
approach (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education, Inc.
Vacca, R. T., & Vacca, J. A. (2008). Content area reading:
Literacy and learning across the curriculum (9th ed.). Boston:
Pearson, Education, Inc.
References
Calkins, L. (2003). The conferring handbook. Portsmouth, NH:
FirstHand.
Clay, M. M. (2001). Change over time: In children’s literacy
development. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Desautel, D. (2009). Becoming a thinking thinker:
Metacognition, self-reflection, and classroom practice.
Teachers College Record, 3(8), 1997-2020.
Dorn, L. J., & Soffos, C. (2001). Scaffolding young writers: A
writers’ workshop approach. Portland, MA: Stenhouse
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Gay, L.R., Mills, G.E., & Airasian, P. (2009). Educational
research: Competencies for analysis and applications (9th ed).
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Glass, G. V., & Hopkins, K. D. (1996). Statistical methods in
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Gunning, T. G. (2004). Creating literacy: Instruction for all
children in grades pre-K to 4. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Gunning, T. G. (2006). Assessing and correcting reading and
writing difficulties (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Lerkkanen, M., Rasku-Puttonen, H., Aunola, K., & Nurmi, J.
(2004). The developmental dynamics of literacy skills
during the first grade. Educational Psychology, 24(6), 793810. doi:10.1080/01443341042000271782
© The Missouri Reader, 36 (1) p.79