,
...
A STUDY OF FIFTH GRADE C<l-1POSITION
A RESEARCH PAPER
STJBMIT.rED TO THE HONORS COMMITrEE
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
~UJ:REMENTS
for
GRADUATION WITH HONORS
BY
GLORIA ROSE SMITH
ADVISOR - DR. ANN W'COURT
BALL STATE UNIVERSITY
MUNCIE, INDIANA
MAY 1965
~FColi
-rtl('il.5
r 7'
2'£} 89
I express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Ann Lefcourt, faculty
advisor, for her time, encouragement and interest in this study.
Wi thout her help, this dream would not have become a reality.
TABLE OF CONTEN'm
Page
............................................... .
Review of Related Literature .......................... .
Method and Procedure .................................. .
10
Find1IJ.gs ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• _••••••••••••••
13
Conclusions ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
19
Bibliography •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
23
Appendix A ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••••••••••.••••.•
25
Appendix B •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
28
Appendix C ••.•.•...•••••.•.••••••••••.••••.••.•.•.•••.•••..•.
30
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Problem
SUmmary and
"
iii
1
4
LIST OF TABLES
Page
Table 1.
Basic sentence Patterns USed •••••••••••••••••••••••
14
Table 2.
Frequency of Pattern Use •••••••••••••••••••••••••••
15
Table 3.
The Use of Movables and Communication Units
Table 4.
The Use of Movables and Communication Un1ts
Compared to Socio-Economic Level..............
iv
....... .
16
18
I.
PROBLDI
Despite its relatively short history, modern research has
proved its great value to mankind.
Research studies offer clues to
improving practices and products and suggest ways to resolve issues
and supply additional knowledge of the subject under stUdy.l
In the area of language arts, research findings could provide
a basis for long-range progress in improving skills.
Though research
has been done in language arts since the late l800 ' s 2 and a considerable amount has been done in the total area of writing, little has
dealt with the composition of elementar,r school children.
Neal
Efunund, reporting on writing in the elementary grades, reported,
"An
examination of the research concerning writing in the intermediate
grades reveals results which are to some extent conflicting and
confusing. ,,3
A
review of research published in 1955 and brought up to date
in 1962 reported that before 1955 and in the years between the studies"
there was little or no research specifically devoted to creative
written expression.
There is actually little if any basic research
~arold G. Shane and Gune Grant MUlry" Im;proving Language Arts
Through Research. p. 3.
..
2 Ibid •
3Neal R. Edmund" "wr1ting in the Intermediate Grades," Children I s
writing: Research in Composition and Related Skills. p. 21.
2
to support opinions of educators on techniques, values, and processes
involved in creative writing.4
Though there is no evidence that composition today is inferior
to composition of 20 or 40 years ago, few educators are happy with
the results achieved in composition instruction and few know how to
attack the problem.
Curriculum workers and teachers want to know
what skills enable one to write well and at what level these should
be taught.
They want to know whether learning to express oneself in
writing can become a developed, sequential experience. 5
According to Parke, research is needed specifically in the
following areas:
1.
2.
3·
4.
5·
6.
7.
Ways of introducing children to the study of
language.
New instructional and remedial materials.
Bew audio-visuals.
Longitudinal studies of writing.
studies done in different instructional
situations.
Practices used by good teachers to maintain
standards of written expression.
Establish language sequences in terms of child
growth and development to ~e the place of
arbitrary grade placement.
There is evidence that, though research is being done in some
of these areas, the results of these studies are not being printed.
Until information can be brought to the attention of practicing
4Shane,
~.
cit., p. 61.
5The Basic Issues in the TeaChing of English, 1958.
12-16 on composition. p. 9.
6
Issues
Margaret B. Parke, "C~sition in Primary Grades,"
Children's writing: Research in Composition and Related Skills,
p.
15·
3
teachers, 1nij;>rovements in instruction will not occur. 1
It appears obvious from the previous statements that there are
lII8DY problems to stw1y and that the teaching of composition needs
attention.
If' improvements are to come about, studies such as the
one here reported are needed.
The purposes
or
this study were twofold.
The first was to
study the written composition of a group of children, using the experimental Elementary English curriculum materials of the University
of Nebraska as a guide in making the creative writing assignments.
The second was to study the language the children used in their
written composi tiona and to compare the structures found to the
findings of Walter D. Loban in his study, The Language
School Children.
~
Elementary
These structures included basic sentence patterns,
frequency of occurrence of these patterns, and evidence of use of
variables, or movables, in the sentence structure.
Evidence of
mazes, omitted words and communication units were also studied.
The limitations of the study were the size of the sample, the
length of time spent on the research, and the limited scope of the
findings.
Descriptive techniques were employed to interpret the out..
comes of this experiment with children t s composition.
The findings
of this study were not subjected to statistical analysis.
1Walter T. Petty, "A Summary of Investigations Relating to
the English Language .Arts in Elementary Education: 1962," Research
in the English Language .Arts - Elementary and Secondary, 1961-1962.
p:-w.
-
-
--
4
II.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
It is a truism that the ability to communicate is an essential
element of human existence. l
Though the experts in the language
field have not uncovered all the influences and factors relating to
growth in ability to communicate, studies have shown that the various
aspects of communication are very much interrelated.
Researchers in
this area have reported that there appears to be a definite interrelation among the language arts.
Walter Loban, in his study, The
Language of Elementary School Children, has cited evidence of the
relationships among writing and the areas of reading and listening.
He reported, "Those high in writing are high in reading; the children
low in writing are low in reading.1t2
in other areas.
A similar correlation appeared
It bas been suggested that writing can best be
accomplished by increased competence in oral expression.
The
relationship between the two should be re-emphasized. 3
In the area of written communication, listening plays a vital
role.
A stuQy done by Burrows and supported by the findings of
Treanor and Moyer has emphasized this interrelation between writing
lWi11iam J. O'Malley, "Literary Craftsmanship: The Integration
of Literature and Composition, II English Journal 52:247-250. April,
1963.
2Walter D. Loban, The Language of Elementary School Children.
..
p. 75·
3GladyS Veidemanis, "The Teaching of Speaking and w.riting:
Articulated Approach," English Journal 52:173, March, 1963.
An
5
and listening skills. 4 Appreciative listening helps to sharpen the
urge for more writing and deepens the insight necessary for better
writing.
Listening" like writing and reading, is an indispensable
arc of a productive circle. 5
As was stated previously" little or no research has been speci ..
fically devoted to creative writing.
However" many opinions have
been offered and ideas expressed on the best methods of helping
children express their thoughts in writing.
AUthors of a recent
language arts text stated" ''Motivation is stronger when a child can
express his own ideas and experiences. II
A great percentage of a
child •s wr1 ting should be concerned with his own personal experiences. 7
EcimUnd found that children not only lack encouragement to
write about their own experiences and problems, but they lack experience in writing of' any kind.
In a study of 127 seventh graders in
New York, the average number of stories written in a school year was
less than four.
MOre experience than this is necessary to develop
sensitivity and skill.
Children may not write well simply because
tbe,y have not been taught. 8
One successful teacher
or
composition observed that to under-
stand and appreciate creativeness in reading" one must try creativeness
4Neal R. Edmund, ''Writing in the Intermediate Grades, II
Children's Writing: Research in Composition and Related Skills, p. 25.
~owa" A1.vina,
They All want to write.
p. lll.
6Harold G. Shane and June Grant )tUry, Improving ~e .Arts
Instruction Through Research. p. 62.
7Edmund, !?I.. cit., p. Z7.
8!!!!., p. 23.
8
serves the purpose of arousing interest in the subject and "putting
their minds in motion. ,,18
This method was used to serve the first
purpose of this paper •
•
Another concern of investigation was children's language.
A
recent study conducted b,y Ruth Strickland of Indiana university dealt
with the oral language of elementary school children.
She tried to
determine what structural patterns appear in the oral language of
children in grades one through six.
Strickland studied patterns of
subordination and elaboration through linguistic analysis.
In addi-
tion, she tried to determine the extent that the structural patterns
used by children are related to the variables
or
age, sex, intelligence
of the children, socio-economic background, and education level of
the parents. 19
The study revealed that patterns of structure can be identi-
fied in children f s language and that apparently basic patterns
appeared with high frequency at all grade levels.
Patterns composed
of immovable elements ranked highest in frequency at each grade
level, though children at all grade levels made some use of movabJ.es
and combined them in a wide variety
or
ways. 20
In these areas, as
in others in the communication field, further research is needed at
a number of POints. 2 J.
18 Ibid., p. 21.
19Ruth G. Strickland, The Language of Elementary SchooJ.
Chi1dren: Its Re1ationship to the Language of Reading Textbooks and
the Quality of Reading of Selected Children. p. 2.
20 Ibid ., p.
60.
21 Ibid ., p. 103·
9
A longitudinal study by Walter Loban was concerned with the
development of childrenrs communication ability at different grade
levels.
He studied both oral and written patterns in samples taken
from 338 children over a period of eleven years. 22
In the actual results
ot the Loban study, the children :rated
high on the language scale increased in the amount of language they
used, in fluence, and in smoothness of expression over a period of
seven years.
The high group, as determined by vocabulary and I.Q.
tests and teacher ratings, had a larger, more varied, and more
readily accessible vocabulary.23
The low group said less, had less
vocabulary with which to say it, and had more trouble saying it.24
In communication units, children in both high and low groups
showed a steady increase in the primary years and a spurt forward
at the fifth grade level.
than the low group.
Boys
The high group used more subordination
in the low group used less subordination
than girls in the low group.25
The observation that lithe process of
maturing in language is in growth in the flexibil1 ty and precision
in use of variables in actual writing liZ"{ seems to be supported by
Loban rS findings.
Loban rS study was used as the basiS for judgment in the
investigation here reported.
22walter D. Loban, The Language of Elementary School Children.
p. 1.
23 Ibid ., p. 42.
24Ibid., p. 43.
25Walter D. Loban, ~. cit., p. 64.
26Robert C. Pooley, Perspectives
~
English.
p. 128.
10
The study of the compositions of fifth grade children reported
here differs from other studies in a significant way.
"
The experi-
mental Nebraska curriculum has been used as a basis for assigning
written compositiona to a normal class of fifth grade children.
The
stories produced in these assignments have been subjected to analysis
based on the Loban study, using Loban t s syntactical patterns and
sentence elements as a basis for analysis.
To the knowledge of the
writer, no other investigation of this nature has taken place.
III.
METHOD AND PROCEDURE
This study was designed to investigate fifth grade children t s
written composition and the language structures used in their
composition.
The procedure for the study included several phases.
To begin the composition period, a story was read to the children,
and oral discussion followed it.
The children were then asked to
write a story of their own, following the form of the story read to
them.
When the stories were finished, each child read his composi·
tion to an assigned partner from the class.
A13 a result of this
reading, the children corrected their recognized errors and rewrote
the story when necessary.
The finished compositions were collected, and the children's
written language was analyzed for the elements described at the end
of this chapter.
For each of the twenty children involved in the study, two
scores were recorded.
These included their score from the CalifOrnia
II
Mental Maturity test, given in September of their fourth grade year,
and the occupational index rating of their parents ranking from one,
the lowest, to five, the highest on the Sims Social Class Identification Occupational Rating Scale.
scale, see appendix B.)
(For an explanation of this
The age of each child was eleven with the
exception of one twelve-year old girl.
The five children who were
absent during the course of the stUdy were excluded from it.
The research was carried on over a period of five weeks
during the writer's term as a student teacher at Rice Elementary
School in Elkhart, Indiana.
The study was conducted in a regular
fifth grade classroom with the approval and cooperation of the classroom teacher, Miss Margaret Saul.
In all, five samples of writing were gathered from each
child.
These compositiOns were assigned as a regular part of their
language work, one each week for five weeks.
A1s a stimulus to indi-
vidual creative writing, ideas for assignments were adapted by the
wri ter from the experimental Elementary English materials of the
University of Nebraska.
This approach to writing was used with
every theme assignment.
Before a specific assignment was made, a story, written in
the pattern which the children were to folloW', was read to the class.
The first assignment involved the use of the fable.
The fables
"The Dog and the Shadow" and "The Fox and the Grapes" were read
aloud to the class.
After discussing briefly some of the fable
characteristics, the children were asked to write a fable.
The
second assignment involved the use of an animal story from Rudyard
12
Kiplingrs Just So Stories.
'!he story "How the Camel Got His HUmp"
was read and the class was asked to write a story of their own about
how an animal came to be the way he is.
The third assignment involved use of the lI\Yth.
of
tiThe
story
the First Butterfly, II and ''The story of the First Woodpecker"
were read.
Following this, the children wrote their own
~hs.
The
fourth week, a type of adventure story, "The MJ.sicians of Bremen,"
was read.
The children subsequently wrote stories about someone or
some group of animals who ran away, as the Bremen animals did, and
the consequences of this action.
Returning to the
~h
form, the children wrote another "how
something came to be" story for the fifth and final assignment.
Examples of the various kinds of story assignments used in
this study are found in the Nebraska English Curriculum materials.
The Nebraska curricular advisors have attempted to build introductory
experiences with various literary forms into the elementary curriculum.
Of these forms, the fable, the animal story, the nwth, the
adventure story, and a second
study.
~h
were chosen for purposes of this
These stories share the same forms that the students will
meet in their more advanced studies.
The stories and ideas behind
them are to be presented in the elementary school in such a way that
secondary teachers can build on them.
In this way, the children are
systematically prepared to understand the more complex forms because
they have first studied the more simple torms.28
2Bwood's Curriculum Institute, ! CUrriculum ~ English,
University of Nebraska. p. 20.
13
As the children finished their writing, they were asked to
proofread their stories and then to read them aloud to their partners.
The partners were matched as closely as possible according to I.Q.
scores and teacher judgment.
It was hoped that, in reading aloud,
the child would catch grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, and
other errors that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.
The story was then handed in and this copy, with no further
corrections on the part of the teacher, was used in this study.
All
writing was done in class, the majority in the allotted class period
for composition.
The samples, five from each child, were collected and analyzed
according to their syntactical structure, using the scale set up by
Loban for his study.
(See Appendix A.)
Nine basic sentence types
and a partial sentence structure were defined, as well as omitted
words, mazes, and movables. 29 After each story had been analyzed,
the total communication units 30 and movables were noted and later
compared on the basis of the occupational rating of the parents.
The relationship of the type of literature read to the type of
composition was also studied.
IV.
FINDINGS
The previous chapter has described the research design and
the procedures for gathering information about childrenrs use of
\
29For definition of maze and movable, see Appendix A.
3~or definition of a communication unit, see APpendix A.
14
written language.
procedures.
The present chapter deals with the results of the
Evidence of the use of the basic syntactical structures
are presented first; the frequency of occurrence of syntactical
structures are next, followed by observations on the use of movables,
ami tted words, and mazes.
For information regarding individual
children •s use of patterns and elements, see APpendix C.
Next are
observations on the performance of the majority of the children
studied in relation to the socio-economic level of the parents.
Lastly, the relationship of the type of literature read to the type
of story produced is described.
The five written compositiOns of each child were analyzed for
evidence of ability to use the basic structural patterns of English.
Nine basic patterns, modeled after those of Laban (see APpendix A)
were studied.
Of these nine basic patterns, eight were employed by
the fifth graders and only one, the passive form, was entirely
omitted in their writing.
Patterns number 1, 2, 3, and 6 were used
in written form by each of the twenty children involved in this study.
Pattern number 9 was used by sixteen children; pattern 5 was used
by
fourteen children and the remaining patterns, 4 and 7, were each
used by eleven children.
The use of these patterns is shown in
Table 1.
TABLE 1
BASIC SENTENCE PATT.E:RNS WED
\
Basic sentence patterns
No. of children using
basic type
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
20
20
20
11
14
20
11
0
16
10
14
15
Pattern number 10, the partial unit, is identified as any incomplete sentence unit.
Though this is not actually a sentence
pattern like the preceding nine patterns, this was observed in the
compositions of fourteen children.
In analyzing the occurrence of these basic patterns, the
children in this fifth grade used the patterns in the total of 100
compositions with the frequency shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2
~UENCY
OF PAi'l'ERN lEE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
NUmber of children
using pattern
20
20
20
11
14
20
II
0
16
14
512 430 192
18
31
68
25
0
26
39
Pattern numbers
Frequency of
patterns
The use of movables, dexterity in varying elements within the
sentence, was analyzed separately from the basic structures or communication units in this study.
These less essential elements,
relatively unfixed adverbial modifiers, were used quite extensively
by the fifth graders involved in this study, as shown
in Table 3.
<
--~--.
by
the totals
16
TABLE 3
THE USE OF MOVABLES AND C(l.OOJNICATION UNI'lB
Communication
Uhits
Student Number
I.g.
Movables
1
142
141
115
2
127
50
46
3
125
113
73
4
122
43
35
5
120
76
62
6
119
80
62
7
118
115
85
8
117
46
47
9
115
50
53
10
115
67
59
11
113
136
134
12
113
73
74
13
III
72
65
14
109
80
55
15
109
95
64
16
109
72
56
17
103
67
66
18
96
44
64
19
86
30
46
20
86
81
56
12J1
1J17
17
The mean number of movables of the entire group was 76.5.
The mean number of movables in the high group, the top five children
chosen on the basis of I.Q. score, was 84.
The mean number of
movables for the low group, the bottom five children determined
b,y
I.Q. score, was 59.
These results correspond to Leban' s observation that the
high group consistently shows a greater repertOire of clauses and
multiples used as movable elements in the sentence. 3l
The mean number of communication units for the entire class
was
65.
The mean number for the high group was
group, 58.
66 and for the low
(See Table 3.)
Factors other than the I.Q. scores seem to have affected the
number of communication units used by these children.
More informa-
tion about the children and more sophisticated statistical procedures
would be necessary before a statement could be made concerning the
total numbers of communications units used
b,y
these children.
In Table 4, groups two and four on the Sims SCI rating scale
(see Appendix B) were compared for total average movables and communication units.
The mean number of communication units used
b,y
children whose parents were in group four was greater than the mean
number used by children whose parents were in group two.
Because
there were only four children to average in level four and eleven on
level two, it is possible that a larger sample would have yielded
different results.
31Loban, The ~e of Elementary School Children.
p. 47.
18
TABLE 4
tEE OF MOVABLES AND COMMUNICATION UNIT.:)
COMPARED TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC LE.VEL
Total
Movables
Mean Number
Total
of Movables Communication
Units
Mean Number
of Communication Units
Group 4
378
94.5
309
77
GrOUp 2
825
75
716
65
Mazes 32 are more apt to occur in oral language than in
wri tten language.
Only two children were involved in three mazes in
It was observed that eight chi1.dren omitted a total of
this study.
twe1.ve word.8.
When the relationship between the type of l.iterature read to
the type of composition produced was studied, several patterns were
observed.
The fable form used in the first assignment was followed
by all but three of the twenty chi1.dren.
These three produced
compositions that hinted at a moral., but that did not use animal.
characters or abstract virtues to arrive at a moral..
The second assignment, an animal story, and the fourth, an
adventure story, resulted in stories following the prescribed pattern
from all twenty of the children involved in this study.
The Dij'th
form, assignments 3 and 5" was followed by all. but three children.
These three produced compositions more like adventure stories than
~hs •
In general., the chi1.dren followed the suggested form and
32For a definition of mazes, see Appendix A.
19
wrote stories almost entirely without suggestions of topics from the
instructor.
This chapter has been concerned with the findings of the research in the written expression of fifth graders.
Chapter V is a
summary of the study and presents conclusions.
v.
SUMMARY AND CONCLtEIONS
This study was designed to investigate the written composition
of twenty firth grade children and the language structure used in
their composition.
These compositions were assigned by the writer
as a student teacher, as a regular part of their language work, one
each week for five weeks.
AP a stimulus to individual creative
writing, ideas for assignments were adapted from the experimental
Elementary English curriculum materials of the University of Nebraska.
The samples, five from each of twenty children in the class,
were analyzed according to syntactical structure, using the scale set
up by Walter Loban for his study, The Language of Elementary School
Children.
Nine basic sentence types and a partial sentence structure
were defined, as well as omitted words, mazes, and movables.
The
total number of communication units and movables were noted and compared on the basis of' the occupational rating of the parents.
The
relationship of the type of literature read to the type of composition
produced was also stUdied.
The study was limited in the size of the sample, the time spent
in research, and the scope of the findings.
Descriptive techniques
were employed to interpret the outc.dmes of this study.
The findings
20
of the study were not subjected to statistical analysis.
Research conducted in the area of language arts has revealed
interrelationships among writing and the areas of reading, listening,
and speaking.
MarlY ideas have been offered concerning the best
methods of helping children express their thoughts in written form.
However, little research has been specifically devoted to the area
of creative writing.
It has been suggested that in personal writing there should
be no required forms or standards, as these
expression.
may
tend to hinder free
Personal writing should not be expected until the
child has had satisfying experiences with oral expression.
The experimental Elementary English curriculum materials from
the University of Nebraska provide an interesting approach to the
problem of relating the language arts.
The Nebraska curriculum
combines the areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing into
a unified sequence of lessons in the language arts.
A study recently conducted by Strickland revealed that patterns
of structure can be identified in children I s language and that basic
patterns appeared with high frequency at all grade levels.
A longitudinal study conducted by Leban revealed that children
rated high on the language scale increased in the amount of language
they used over a period of seven years.
The low group said less and
had more trouble saying it.
In communication units, children in both high and low groups
showed a steady increase in the primary years and a spurt forward
at the fifth grade.
21
In conclusion, the findings of this study concerning the use
of language structures by children, although much more limited, agree
with the findings of Loban in the same areas.
The children who com-
pose the population of this study use all of the basic sentence
patterns except the passive.
pattern.
Loban, too, found low incidence of this
Patterns one and two were used most frequently by the fifth
grade children of this study.
This finding also agrees with Loban.
Loban found that the use of movables, i.e., what is done to
achieve flexibility within a pattern, rather than the pattern itself,
proved to be a measure of effectiveness and control of language.
same was found to be true in this study also.
movables of the entire group was 76.5.
The
The mean number of
The mean number of movables
in the high group, the top five children chosen on the basis of I.Q.
score, was 84.
The mean number of movables for the low group, the
bottom five children determined by I.Q. score, was
59.
Factors other than I.Q. scores seem to be the number of communication units used by the children.
More information about the
children and more sophisticated statistical procedures would be
necessar,y before a statement concerning the total number used could
be made.
This study also agrees with Loban that writing ability is
related to socio-economic position.
Using the Sims SCI Occupational
Rating Scale to determine levels, groups 2 and
4
were compared for
mean number of movables and mean number of communication units.
In
Group four, the mean number of movables was 94.5, compared to 75 in
22
group two.
The mean number of cODUl1unication units for group four
was 77, canpared to 65 for group two.
Loban found that children
rated in the four lowest socio-economic categories rated below average
in writing and those who were in the highest three categories rated
above average in writing.
It was the opinion of the writer that the use of partners and
reading compositiona aloud helped to eliminate the hazards of omitted
words and mazes.
It is also the opinion of the writer that the use of li ter'*Y
forms suggested by the Nebraska Elementary EDglish curriculum materials
is worthwhile.
The materials provided an orderly and logical
progression for the language arts lessons and were enthUSiastically
received by the children participating in this study.
This study of fifth grade composition hardly begins to scratch
the surface in research concerning the language arts.
Further re-
search with children's composition, using more sophisticated research
procedures, would, in the opinion of the writer, prove valuable.
VI.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
American Studies Association. Conference Reports (1958). "The
Basic Issues in the Teaching of English. II 15 pages.
Burrows., Alvina Trent. They All Like to Write.
Rinehart and Winston, i9b4:--281pages.
New York:
Holt,
Edmund., Neal R. "writing in the Intermediate Grades. IT Children I s
Wri ting: Research in Composition and Related Skills.
National Council of~ Teachers or--Eng11sh., 1961-62. p. 21-
31.
Knickerbocker., William S. (ed.). Twentieth Century English. New
York: Philosophical Library., Inc • ., 1946. p. 251-259.
Loban., walter D. The Language of Elementary School Children.
Champaign., Ill.: National Council of the Teachers of English,
1963. 92 pages.
Marksheffel., Ned D. "Composition, Handwriting and Spelling. "
Review of Educat10Dal Research. 34:177-79; April., 1964.
National Council of the Teachers of English. '~esearch in the
English Language Arts - Elementary and Secondary." 1961-62.
page 45.
Nebraska Curriculum Development Center. A Curriculum for ~.
Lincoln., Nebraska: University of Nebraska. 19b4." (used·
with permission)
O'Malley., William J. "Literary Craftsmanship - The Integration
of Literature and Composition." English Journal 52:247-250.
April, 1963.
Parke., Margaret B. "Composition in Primary Grades." Children's
Wri ting: _ Research in Composition and Related Skills. National
Council of the Teachers of English. 1961-62. pages 6-20.
Poole,y., Robert C. (ed.). Perspectives on Enstis~ •. New York:
Appleton-Century-Crofts., Inc • ., 1960. p. 12l-l32.
Shane., Harold G. and June Grant MUlry. ImprOving Language Arts
Instruction Through Research. WaShington., D.C.: National
Education Association. 1963. 73 pages.
24
Sims, Verner M. "Sims SCI Occupational Rating Scale," New York:
World Book Co., 1952. 8 pages.
Strickland, RUth G. The Language or Elementary School Children: Its
Relationship to the Language ~Reading Textbooks and the
Quality ~ Reading of Selected Children. Bloomington, Ind.:
Indiana University School of Education. 1962. 131 pages.
Vi edemani s , Gladys, "The Teaching of Speaking and WTi ting: An
Articulated APProach." English Journal 52:172-77. March,
1963.
APPENDIX A
26
SYMBOLS USED
1
m
ANALYSIS OF COMMUNICATION UNITS
I
= subject
This includes both the head (central word) and its modifiers.
2 and 2 = verbs used as predicates
This includes the head (the main verb) plus auxiliary verbs and
modifiers.
2 represents transitive and intransitive verbs.
2 represents linking verbs.
3 • the inner complement (indirect object)
4 • the transitive verb complement (direct object)
5 • the linking verb complement
6
= the
7
= the
outer (objective) complement
movable parts of a sentence (words, phrases, or clauses with
no fixed position. However, the degree of "movability" varies.
Some elements prove to be more movable than others.)
Z • a maze
This is a series of words or initial parts of words which do
not add up, either to meaningful communication or to structural
units of communication as defined in this research. These
unattached fragments are not necessary to the communication
unit.
o • omitted words
This involves an ellipsis of an essential part of the sentence.
C.U•• communication unit
This is the grammatical independent clause with
modifiers.
any
of its
lwalter D. Leban, The Language of Elementary School Children.
p. 11-14.
27
P~ OF COMMUNICATION UNITS 2
Pattern
Symbol
Examples
one
1,2 or 1 2
Mary
two
1,2,4
Mary eats strawberries.
three
125
strawberries are berries.
strawberries are good.
four
1,2,3,4
Mary threw the dog some biscuits.
five
1,2,4,6
They elected Mary president.
They thought Susie conceited.
six
(1) 2 1
Here is Mary.
There are four houses on Lime
street.
seven
Questions
How does he do it?
eight
Passive forms
strawberries were eaten by Mary.
nine
Requests, commands
Go
(ten)
Partials
/my incomplete unit (This is
not actually a pattern like the
preceding nine patterns.)
2wban, ~. cit., p. 14-15.
eats.
home.
( or) Mary is home.
Is he here?
(or) Let us go home.
APPENDIX B
29
INTERPRETATION OF OCCUPATIONAL RATINGS
Common Illustrations
Group
Social-Class Level
1
lower working
garbage collector, farm hand, cook
for a family, cotton-mill worker
2
working
factory worker, house-to-house brush
salesman, automobile mechanic,
telephone operator
3
middle-working
railroad ticket agent, telegraph
operator, bookkeeper for a store,
neighborhood grocery store owneroperator
4
middle
real estate salesman, high school
teacher, druggist, large farm owneroperator
5
upper-middle
newspaper editor, minister, civil
engineer, united States army colonel
6
upper
corporation lawyer, owner of a chain
of stores, mayor of a large city,
surgeon
7
upper-upper
university president, president of
a large bank, transcontinental railroad president, united states
ambassador
APPENDIX C
.31
...,. ..
1
142
"
'''"
,
1
I
I···.. "
L,,---=- _,~_.".l","'"
I
:;en{enc~
.1'YpC8"
_.•: ~.~::,
-.. -,. ..... ., -......",.
1 ~ l~? or l®
j
-.--...
--~---.-~,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.,
-r.
... - .....
5
I
2
I
13
5
28
5
5
2
24
4
1
1
4
2
o
1
o
1
o
o
o .__ ~. _.~... _. ?_.__ . ___ ;-, __.__~............ '____. 0
~-."~--
J ~ l,2 j 5
! ..._.. -........ ;--,.
. ---. -"-
4
------..,,..-.· . ···.1.·
~
,--'" ._.J,..••,...J
I
~
_ -_ _ _ _ _ .•.......,..·n • ., ....' ..· ~·~ ......
-·r, . . .
~.*-,~ .. ~.
,
I
j
,j
a
I
I·
I
7 "" ?
If
g -... passive
I
i-- ....
partials
. --~enience·fiemen·[.s
..... ".- .. ,..-'- .. -.-" ...
.
,,~
0
!
cCJDriands
~
I
."._.,{.,.....-
a
0
L
4.. -..
..,-~-,..~-~
0
."
..
~.'
~
..
a
0
~k_
-~-"
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...... ~.~-.~.- ,<"
.-~.
-1
-...,.~----- ~~~.--
---a..
~~-~
0
a
0
a
0
0
.3
a
a
a
a
0
..
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"I
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1
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9 ""' requests ll
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0
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,
a
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"
~ .....
a
,
!
,
.
"~''''''-'-'l
, ."'
M "" movablea
11
21
12
73
24
0... . . . . . . _.,.-""""""-._ _ . _
Z .... mazes
o - auitted words
Co U" - COl:lr:1un1c:;'~tion
Units (tot!)1).
o
a
a
o
a
o
11
20
8
.
~
"
o
o
a
o
t
" " ••" . -"»"'~
--.. ···..
~--1
12
(
I
..............
-
-.--------_ .. _-
i
t
"--','"
32
2
1
: ...•..•..... ,
; ; - - - .,., ' .............. '''''.'''''''''/"
.
,
' ......
I.I
.. ,.
'?'~E.t~ E!.l!~ ~ ..!~!3", .~. ~.~.~~~,,-..... ~. ---t-. ......
1 ""
1~2
or 1(7)
._,,_~._~._~_. "_ .'.'
Ratinf~ _.l..~
Cecupat1one1
~- ....
..
I
'
;~~"'-, ...",~ ''''".
..
I
1
4
.. \
3
3
1
!
i
2 .... 16264
._, ..
_~~
_"~~r..,,_
.-..... "',,_.-,... .;".._...._4.... - ....'.'1··I ...... "a-..
~.
.
~
.
3
. ,....... ':-"'" ,_.......
;
2
,
~~~ )(~~.~...._. _.' _
1
7 - ?
----.-~
a
1
a
o
o
o
a
o
a
i
••••••
._,
~+• .....,...--~.- ...
..• .., .. 0....
~
!.....,.~
~-~'~-'.
.,. ,.-,' ......
~
~"'-...-...~
l
I
I
..-.., .....~, .... """"'\"
8 - passive
9 ,~-;~;~-;t;,-'
ccrnnands
o
o
1
. . ····..-·~··'i
~
;!
O
"'J
. _ , .. "
I
. . · . · _ • •~.·.~I
!
10 - part.ials
o
...! .... 9
•• ~ .... +>.
'~(""
"~.,~
o
~.,"
y~"
~
.-
o
I'
--f
". ,- ~:,,-. - .......... "', ""~<'" ',~.' .........
_...........
+_~._.l
M - movables
14
4
. . J ...
13
9
~
10 ""'_"'k~
.~"'-.. :; ... ' ""'~"
...._
..... _i
Z .... mazes
o
a
o
,t,.
..
0
o
~
o ~ anitted words
o
o
o
-
...
.-.~--.--...-,-~
"
C",U" ... Camnun1eation.
Uni ts (t.otal):
12
6
7
9
33
Story r'Lmlber' j
1
.'3!
2
1
V
I
4
5
t
\
'.
~
~~~·Di!~=·-::-~:F:::":': .:...:.:~-..-. ..~: (:-: =-: :.1=::~~:~~-~:-:--~~-:::~~-'::=1
1 - 1~2 or
l®
I
I'
2
J
,
2
1
j
~~ ..;
6
L...
~-~~- . =-L~--l.-- L___ : .~.·L-~:'~~ . !...._4~_~~_ j
.9••.•.
:3 - 1,2,5
,
"'--'~-"l ~.
1,2~3?4
4 -
,_ ...._........... __. " .'
5 ,..
1,2t4~6
Z(~·) ® 1
~
I
0
1
.
I...
~
9
,
...... ,,····~~f-····~··~"-·,··--·-+--..--r-----·i
I i )
0
i
i l l
.. f
0
I 0 -).~~..Q....-.~+.~
..
j
1.
Q._,m._ .._;i_~_9_~. _~~~_~
i
!
!
!
I
!
···----I~· ·--·i----4-~-·:--..2---P----i-O---i
-;~--.---. r ··:··_-t--: --·-1---:
--1,---1:
"1
---~.---.- .-.~- ~ ,~ '~'~w_.,~I..~. "'~-r~'~"~---~~-"-r'-'--'-' ~-i-"-'---~
--
8 - pass!va
••
. . . ." •.
.. '
I;
••
0
10
- - - - - -........--........---..--. r1 ..................... :i ... 0
I
9 - requests,
___
I!
0"
"1!
+
.
~~ands__ ..~_~""... ~____Q_ . _....~~..". . ?_.._._.~ .. _.... 1 ...... _.J". . 9. ..
10 - partials
i f ;
Sentence-Elemen{;"'s-"-···
r-' "'-'~'-"'"
10
-.-~ .... -,-~~---~.- ~-,.~,..........- .. ".
I
.....~~9
0
'y" •.,,, ..•. ....... ('" . -.... - .... -~ .. -,.~ -'-'--"
..•. - .~.--- -.~ -.- --~."-
,i
(
!
,0
:
_",.v,,_. --
- ...
>--
I
,.
i
I
:
.:
!
~
I
;
-
o
N'
Q._ .....
11
20
.:
r
j
f
_!" .,-Q .._. _-_... ,J,"..J2 __._!
"'~ ..
i
Ca!ltl1.Ulieution!
Units (tc)tal) i
i
!
' __ ~'~
. . ' • . ' . '__ : . ' _ . _ _ _ _ _
!
0
,
........9.,.. .... _}. .. ...12, .."'''_'''_ }~....Q__ ._. _.__ ._~
_"
Co U
-~--'---"'-l
~-it~. ".. ".~. '" _~ _____ ~._.'~_{
I I
o
emitted wonls
o
. . . ·.
.. -: .. ,,?~...".,.,... ~·?~,··" .. ~1, . ,-?~,~·~J,· . -,·?2-.-.__1
Z "" mazes
o
~
0
....L.=..Q~ .,....~_.~.!
:
1
.01
M - movables
o-
j
'-~.
I
!
~~i
!
9
,
).
~r.-
_ _ ......... _~
~
1
34
T
('
J. :1'1.';'
122
7- ?
8 - passive
M - m<m1blea
."'" ~ "-.'9.. ",', "---i "~ 8
1
r
Z - mazes
o - emitted
YO~18
_ _ _ "'_. ___ •__ -J~~_~_'-'.~,,_ ..
c.. U"
,,,. __ •• _.~
,
~_:.~
.'__ ,
o
o
o
o
9
7
- Camntmiellt.ion '
Units (tl::ltal):
_ _ _ _,-
~'_,
........."_" ..
_,,~~.,,,~,,-
•••....,.,. __ .M."_-..I!
-"_.
"-.,
3
6
35
o-
anitted \.fords
o
o
13
11
,
Co U0
-
CanrJuniclltion [
Units (t()tal):
10
36
,
~t~l.dent. Number
,,'.
6
·~t~·
3
4 - 1,2,3,4
i
Co Uo - Ccmr:nmie~ltion!
Units (total) i
..
--~--~,.~-~.-,,~-- ~
-~
13
12
12
~
11
""'- ~" -- -
r
-.J:.
37
,118
!
, -" "'''·--'1''
".~.~.
6 - (1)(2)1
---...
-,--'~"'-,
7 - ?
<
."..-
.'.
".,
~
••••
38
SFr"TENCE EV!\ 1,r:'A'l ION SrH:E'l'
Student Number
-L
3 - 1,2,5
oCo Uo
anitted words
-
Cam:l1mietl~ticm
Units (tcltal)!
14
Occupational Rating .-2..0-
39
Srl'!ENCE EVlI T,t'AT ION SRF:ET
Student Number
~
7 - ?
CoUo - Cam::llmiea.tion i
Units (tc.tal)!
- - _ ._ _
>_~.,,_._~._-4
6
_.~_.
Occupational
R81~1D.g
....k-
40
SF.!~Er!CE EV.~ T,T~A '1 ION
Student Number ..-l.Q"
SHEET
Occupat10ll81 R.!l'ting _.2.....
41
Student Number
.....ll.,.
1
Co U" - Camnunieation!
----Units
..
(total)
i
-.~---~-..\ ~
6
Occupational RaMllg ,,,.,.,.2..
Occupational Rating .w..J ......
43
Student Nl.JIloor -l,l,
OeClupat1onal l1ating -2..-.
44
Student NtJIloor
~~
Occupatiollal
Ratin~
.".2 . . _
7 - ?
~
Camnuniclltion [
Un1 ts (tc)ta.l) i
-~-..,~~.,~~-...\
Co U
0
~
~
-
--,,'
10
i
n:L. '
7
IS
9
11
,
~w,..,..
___ .""'
...""'"
I
!
;.<).>
45
Student Number
- 15-
14
14
16
I
14
-..... = .--,....
~
.. _ . . . . _ ..r ,
f'
.l
.',."
{ ; ' .. i
4
'
/..
i
L.
1
·f..······" ..····
,...,
~.
,
..... ,,' .'.~ .. '
1
. , .... Il,_,~,
.,,-.~.,..
0
.. --. ··1j -.. -~ ..1--.........~~-; ..-..... ",,,
.............. -; _.. "-2......I
I
o
1
g - passiw
o
o
o
13
4
o
o
o
o
9 - requests IJ
CCI!lm:1.nds
10 - partials
•.,. "'
. ..:. __
t"">~_''''''''
~"-'>-'"
,
.'~
."_,
""-
_
".~.'
~~slltence
:£le~J,;:n1tB
••
..----,,?<",.,- .......
~
~-,.~-
.~.-,
,_ ,.
~_.,."
'
Z
UII>
..
-. .... 1.3 .. -,
~
,
~--,..
,-......,,,
..... ',,.,,
8
mazes
o
.......... /....... u.
CCij:t'J.lUl:~ £;nt~.on
.... 0.........
- ... Q ..
._....0 .
;
nnJ.t:~ (i:()tal)'
9
7
7
9
24
o'
47
,.
•'
,'.
2 ...
0:'<.,.
/
','
~
i ..._._ . . . .
_ .. L
4
1
7 - ?
8 - passive
o
9 -
o
o
reque;:ri:.::; ~
commands
o
i
o
.
,.. ,5 ... ~.+.~ ~ .:1...
10 - paTtia18
o
M - movnbl.ss
14
Z - mazes
25
o
"'
co;"!:!1~ni::;;lt..:i0i,1
~b:;:.~:
13
o
o
o
o
o
27
9
11
o
o
c. u'" ....
10
(·;c,t.a::')
.......-
.~
......,,-
~"
j
. """""-'
.
12
7
48
o
o
H - movabJ.cG
o
o
1
o
1
•••. . - ; -
_ , _ - - . ..........',...... 0· .....
. _,_. ,_ ". _ ,~ , __ ~
c
c-
U\) - ~j Qi~: n:r;-;.:l e r~~ t:l (}!}.
~::~j. tf.: (·~(r~8.J~)
9
11
15
21
8
_~.~
~
.',
. _ .........r
49
SF.1'"TENCE EVA1.UA'IIOlJ SHEET
-86-
Student Number ....J.2.,.
st.ory l:um'ber
1
121
Occupational Rating
3
-'-"---r"---
--.-..--7ii.""------- . -___L..____ ._I. ____. _
~~~.J.yp2~ ___.
-
1 - 1,2 or l@
----_.__.
I
4
I
.-l-
5
...--1_ _ _ _.-..-,
-----t-.---.--.~-.'~
.~ -.-!:... ._,~ ._".-1:-._____....3:....---II-..--i..__J._,--:2~___-t
i
-.~
2
1
8
o
2
0
3
1-
r
I
3
3 -
1,2,'
,4 -
~2.3~~ ~=[~ ~_~_~ .~~~~~----t
~.2.4.6
__
___
0
LJ
....__ .__ . "2,,. __
--·-·-"~""-·-"'---"'·-·I
,,_
o -
l
..-:-... --.' -··---·--r-··-·. -·o
/ .. reques'~iJl)
camnantis
I
!
I
r-----,.-'r------
.10'.. pa;;~i{~;:~"" ". ~'-"-~ !
I(
Lo
I.
!
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~
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0
i
!
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1
0
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"-,---~.(---,,,
.
0
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I
I
l
i
I I Il
1
I
!- 0
0
,--.
-~
i'
10;
0
"''''''T ,'---.. -~-•.. " -,.".-_..
'-1........----4
0 __
J
1
j :
paSGl. va
~-----.-
I
0
~ ._~~?_1."
6 - (1)(g)1
1
i
I,'.
0
;
j
!
,
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~
0
I!
"-"-·~-----~~r--#"·"'~"-"'·"~C'"~·~'·~----'-··-!
-~-~~'~' . '. . ,._, . .,.-,-".,,-.--~~I~-,-~Q,~_,-_,,_I . ._- _-.9_._... ,J~"_.. __~._H ___ J__~_.1.. _, ,._./ ....__~_~.. ~,__ ~J
Eler<lent.s
1
i
!
!
f
".. i
----" ,·,,·_--"'---·'---r· ·~-'-·-'--~~-r~ . ---,.- --';.-------.-,' -----'._------_
. _'.-,,"_.-- t''''
.",,"-- - .
movables
I
" ,
I
5
i 8 i __6
;
7
I
",,,_•
____
_~n'(,ence
M -
--"""".""~---'''-''''''~- .. ,...,.. "
" .".-, ""•. " .--"=.-.:._~"",._"·"""."",»-"",~"",_",,,,~.,,,,,,,,_,,,.-,,,,,,,,~,,,,,,,,,,_ ..~"""'4_._",
Z - mazes
.,,,~
~
[
~,.q,.~....
' __"""" ...
l4
"~ ..... ~_,,,,,-~ .• ~~-"'-'-_.} • ..-r~~ ... , _-~ • .-.,....., .... _,.,,,, .. ~_~
I
..•.
'"~.
__
9
,,-_~~u.
.~._~
I
,'!
0
[
0
...
_
,~~~
J
i
r"
c"""." . ...-
""~_
4
~
i
.. ~ __ ,_, ..... <--.
0
-..~ .,. .. ~...-..,_=-
13
.._"
10
~.",~~"",,,_
i
0
.....".. ,~ __ ~ ____ :~"_'" _ .._.....-.-c~ __ ,
12
8
50
SF.fTENCE EVAl,UA!!mJ SHF:ET
2.
Occupational Tiating
I
e- T - s
.T-------.- -:- :t--=--5 tory l',UInber
1 - 1,2 or
0'
1®
...--..:_:=.0 .....
-----
:3 - 1,2 ,5
I
~,_!L
-....=. _ _ _ _ ;;...
2 - 1,2 ,4
4 - 1,2
1
-
6
--- ---0
'~~~·~·--
5 - 1,2 ,4.6
.
5
_~,
.~.-+-'-".-~-
L_
.1
3
2
3
6_
3
s
0
0
~
1
0
0
0
-1 -
__ T~Qj2.. .
~
0
o
......." . - - - ,
"'" -_tI
2
-
6 - (1) ® 1
1
I
0
o -
pass1va
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