Action Research as a Strategy for Transforming the Teaching of Written Language

Abstract

The study is based upon the qualitative perspective of research action. The purpose was to transform the teaching – learning process of written language developed at Venezuelan elementary school; the aim was to educate children as writers at school in a process that involved learning through action, theorize upon practice and participation in the solution of educative problems. The experience was developed in three phases: diagnosis, planning or description of action plan, transformative action, and evaluation. For gathering information were used: participant observation, interviews, teacher´s diary, written artifacts and audio/video recordings. Two phases were followed for data analysis: reduction of information in categories, and triangulation. Results allowed a theoretical – practical proposal for teaching and learning writing in elementary education that avoids traditional practices, and approximates to a didactics which integrates language components: speaking, listening, reading and writing. In addition, the proposal has relevant implications for the process of educating teachers as readers and writers, research in the area and the design of national policies in reading and writing.