Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades: A Cross-Cultural Inquiry of Teacher Perceptions and Practices in South Korea and the United States

Authors

Carrie Eunyoung Hong, William Paterson University of New JerseyFollow
Geon-ah Choi, Cheongju UniversityFollow

Abstract

Despite its importance in promoting student academic achievement and career development, writing pedagogy has received little emphasis in research and professional development efforts. The purpose of this study was to examine teacher perceptions and practices of writing in the middle grades from a cross-cultural perspective. 16 middle-grade teachers from South Korea and one state within the United States were recruited for a semi-structured interview. Transcripts of the interview responses were analyzed, using a constant comparison method. The findings showed that teachers’ instructional practices in writing were contextualized with their personal and professional knowledge and experiences. Country specific patterns were found in teacher perceptions of best practices in writing instruction while cross-cultural patterns were observed in the ways that teachers differentiated instruction for struggling writers and motivated them to write.

Recommended Citation

Hong, Carrie Eunyoung and Choi, Geon-ah (2022) "Writing Instruction in the Middle Grades: A Cross-Cultural Inquiry of Teacher Perceptions and Practices in South Korea and the United States," The Language and Literacy Spectrum: Vol. 32: Iss. 1, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/lls/vol32/iss1/4