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Reading–writing connections: Discourse-oriented research

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Abstract

As reading and writing are both language processes, one can assume relationships between them, but the exact nature of these relationships has not yet been determined. While a large body of research has addressed reading comprehension and written production independently, very little investigation has examined the possible relationships between these two psycholinguistic processes, particularly from a discourse and cognitive perspective. Argumentative texts were analyzed in the present investigation on reading–writing connections. Four tests were designed and tested on 439 eighth graders. The tests assessed psycholinguistic variables that account for the microstructural, macrostructural and superstructural levels of comprehension/production processing. Correlation results showed significant coefficients between reading and writing of argumentative texts in all the psycholinguistic levels analyzed. These results suggest that the processes involved in both activities share some common knowledge-based strategies.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by FONDECYT Research Grant No. 1980/311.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Linguistics, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil 2830, 9th floor, Valparaíso, Chile

    Giovanni Parodi

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  1. Giovanni Parodi
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Correspondence to Giovanni Parodi.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Writing task

Taller de Escritura 1

Nombre:...........................................................................................................

Colegio:...........................................................................................................

Curso: 8° año básico                    Sexo: ..............................................

   En la actividad que viene a continuación, te invitamos a escribir un texto en el que te pedimos hacer tu mejor esfuerzo. Desde ya, agradecemos tu cooperación.

   Actividad

      Los directores de los canales de televisión han decidido que:

      “Se eliminarán todos los programas acerca de deportes peligrosos”.

Tú has sido elegido para comentar acerca de esta decisión en la nueva Revista del Colegio.

Esta revista será enviada a los directores de los canales de televisión.

      Usa estas dos hojas para redactar tu artículo a ser publicado muy pronto.

      Tiempo asignado: 45 minutos aproximadamente.

Appendix 1: Writing task (translation)

Writing Workshop 1

Name:...........................................................................................................

School:...........................................................................................................

Level: 8th grade

   In this activity, we invite you to write a text in which you are asked to do your best effort.

   We appreciate your cooperation.

   Activity

      TV channels directors have decided that:

      “All dangerous TV sport programs will be not be included any more”.

You have been chosen to comment on this statement and write and essay for the new school journal.

This issue will be sent to TV channels directors.

      You can use these two sheets of paper to write your text.

      You are given 45 minutes for this task.

Appendix 2: Reading test and inferential questions

Sabías Tú Que...

  1. (1)

    Desde la antigüedad, al hombre le ha gustado contemplar la belleza del mundo que lo rodea y gozar con los colores, formas y movimientos de todos los elementos de la naturaleza. Su mente inquieta lo ha llevado no sólo a observar el mundo, sino también a estudiarlo científicamente a través de diversos medios a los que puede recurrir. Sin duda, entre los múltiples avances científicos, los instrumentos que registran imágenes son algunos de los inventos que más han contribuido al desarrollo de la ciencia.

  2. (2)

    Pocas personas han pensado en la importancia de los instrumentos que registran imágenes. Sin embargo, resulta interesante pensar en los beneficios que trae consigo esta actividad. Durante años, las personas morían de lo que, al parecer, era un dolor de estómago. Actualmente, muchos enfermos pueden mejorar gracias a que la ecotomografía, permite examinar el estómago del paciente. También es posible detectar tumores cerebrales con aparatos tan valiosos como el escáner. Además, hoy es posible controlar las etapas del embarazo y comprobar el crecimiento del feto con instrumentos especiales. Se puede decir que los instrumentos para registrar imágenes han contribuido a detectar a tiempo problemas relacionados con la salud.

  3. (3)

    Para estudiar el interior del cuerpo humano, los científicos inventaron la ecografía, lo que resultó ser un aporte esencial para los ginecólogos. Estos últimos están interesados en el crecimiento del feto. Este procedimiento entrega datos precisos del desarrollo del ser que está por nacer. E incluso, durante el embarazo, permite obtener información acerca de la maduración del aparato respiratorio, que resulta fundamental para que el cuerpo humano funcione. La inmadurez del sistema de respiración impide que el recién nacido pueda sobrevivir. Durante mucho tiempo no se supo cómo resolver este problema. Hoy en día, los médicos mantienen al bebé en incubadoras por el tiempo que sea necesario.

  4. (4)

    Por otra parte, se puede mencionar otra contribución de los instrumentos que captan imágenes. Por medio de ellos se ha podido registrar el movimiento de los astros en el espacio, a menos que las condiciones atmosféricas no sean las mejores. Como ocurrió, por ejemplo, con el eclipse del año 1998. Los astrónomos se concentraron en el norte de Chile para observar mejor este fenómeno, debido a la claridad de su cielo.

  5. (5)

    Los científicos dedican gran parte de su tiempo a describir el universo. G. Dupont ha realizado uno de los avances más interesantes en el área. Este científico demostró que se podía fotografiar una sola imagen del universo con la ubicación de miles de estrellas. Debido a este descubrimiento, los investigadores franceses han podido observar algunos astros tal como se ordenan en el universo. Esta tarea es una de las metas que se ha planteado la astronomía. Sin el uso de la fotografía, se habrían demorado meses en ubicar estas estrellas en un solo mapa.

  6. (6)

    Sin importar las técnicas empleadas, es indudable que los instrumentos que registran imágenes han permitido el avance científico en diversas áreas. Se puede esperar que en un futuro cercano, el hombre sea capaz de inventar instrumentos con un nivel tecnológico cada vez más especializados. Estos avances permitirán a los investigadores descubrir cosas insospechadas hasta ahora.

Open questions:

  1. 1.

    De acuerdo con el texto, ¿qué procedimiento entrega datos precisos del desarrollo del ser que está por nacer?

  2. 2.

    ¿Cuál es la idea principal del párrafo 4?

  3. 3.

    Según el texto, ¿qué desea probar el autor?

  4. 4.

    Señala las razones más importantes que da el autor para probar la respuesta anterior.

  5. 5.

    De acuerdo con el texto, ¿por qué los médicos mantienen al recién nacido en incubadoras?

  6. 6.

    ¿Cuál es la idea principal del párrafo 2?

  7. 7.

    De acuerdo con el texto, ¿a qué conclusión llega el autor?

  8. 8.

    Según el texto, ¿quiénes se habrían demorado meses en ubicar todas las estrellas en un mismo mapa?

  9. 9.

    Escribe un resumen del texto en tres líneas.

Appendix 2: Reading test and inferential questions (translation)

Do you know that...?

  1. (1)

    From old times, man liked to look at the beauty of the world that surrounds him and enjoy the colors, forms and movement of the nature elements. His wondering mind has taken him not only to observe the world but also to study it scientifically through different devices. Of course, devices that help capture images are some of the most incredible scientific advances and they have contributed much to science development.

  2. (2)

    Few people have thought about the importance of the devices to register images. However, it is interesting to consider the benefits that they bring with them. During years, people died due to what thought stomach pain. Nowadays, many ill people can get better thanks to echotomographies that allow doctors to examine the patient’s stomach. Also, it is possible to detect brain tumors with devices such as scanners. Besides, it is possible to control the baby growing in the mother’s womb and to exam the baby’s healthy growing up. It is possible to say that these special devices to capture images have contributed immensely to detect on time health problems.

  3. (3)

    To study the inner part of the human body, scientists invented the echography, which turned out to be a tremendous help for doctors. They are very much interested in the healthy growing of the fetus. This procedure gives the doctor precise information of the baby. During pregnancy, it helps get information about the maturity of the baby’s breathing system, which is fundamental to keep the human body working properly. The breathing system immaturity is a major cause of death among babies. During a long time, there were no answer to solve this problem; nowadays, doctors keep immature babies in special devices until they are big enough to survive.

  4. (4)

    On the other hand, it is also possible to mention another contribution of the devices that captures images. Using them properly, far away stars have been studied in detail, given the adequate weather conditions. For example, during the year 1998 scientists gathered together in the South of Chile to observe an eclipse, due to the special and clear sky of this region.

  5. (5)

    Scientists spend a lot of time describing the universe. G. Dupont has produced one of the most interesting advances in this area of research. This scientist demonstrated that he could get with only one photograph of the universe the position of a lot of stars. Due to these findings, French researchers have been able to observe some stars in the right order in the universe. This step is only one of the many tasks that astronomy is interested in. Without the use of photographs, it would have taken lots of months to find the right place of some stars in just one map of the universe.

  6. (6)

    No matter what kind of technique could be used to get images, it is undoubtedly true that without these devices the scientific advance would have not been the same in many research areas. It can be expected that in a near future man will be able to invent technological devices each time more specialized. These advances will help researchers discover unexpected unthinkable things.

Open questions:

  1. 1.

    According to the text, which procedure does give precise data about the evolution of the baby?

  2. 2.

    Which is the main idea of paragraph 4?

  3. 3.

    According to the text, which is the author’s purpose?

  4. 4.

    Explain the most important reasons given by the author to prove his thesis.

  5. 5.

    Why do doctors keep babies in special machines after having been delivered?

  6. 6.

    Which is the main idea of paragraph 2?

  7. 7.

    According to the text, which is the author’s conclusion?

  8. 8.

    Based on your reading, who would have taken months in searching stars in the same map?

  9. 9.

    Write a summary of the text in three lines.

Appendix 3: Scoring guideline for argumentative discourse (reading and writing)

Level

Scoring

Total

Microstructural

   Nominal co-reference

1

3

5

5

   Nominal ellipsis

1

3

5

5

   Cause–effect relation

1

3

5

5

Macrostructural

   Macroproposition 1

1

5

9

9

   Macroproposition 2

1

5

9

9

   Topic

1

5

9

9

Superstructural

   Thesis

1

5

9

9

   Arguments

1

5

9

9

   Conclusion

1

5

9

9

Total Test

69

  1. Explanation: The scoring numbers were organized according to the weight we wanted to give to each psycholinguistic skill involved. Therefore, local coherence was given a maximum of 5 points for each feature (total 15). Macrostructural and superstructural levels, because of their higher importance in discourse processing, were given a maximum of 9 points (total 27). The numbers 3 or 5 in the medium scale were given when the expected process was not wrong but the answer was incomplete or the text produced was partly cohesive or coherent at the required level.

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Parodi, G. Reading–writing connections: Discourse-oriented research. Read Writ 20, 225–250 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-006-9029-7

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