Writing, grammar and the body: a cognitive stylistics framework for teaching upper primary narrative writing. (1st February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Healey, Brett; Gardner, Paul
• Is Part Of: Literacy. Volume 55:Number 2(2021)
• Page Start: 125
• Page End: 135
• Publication Date: 2021-02-01
• Subjects: writing -- grammar -- metalinguistic understanding -- metalanguage -- narrative; Literacy -- Periodicals; Reading -- Periodicals; 302.2244
• DOI: 10.1111/lit.12242
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-4350

Abstract

Abstract: This paper synthesises aspects of functional grammar and cognitive stylistics to posit a theoretical approach to the teaching of the grammar of narrative writing to upper primary and lower secondary students. It is argued the development of students' metalinguistic understanding is essential if they are to make informed language choices as they write. Cognitive stylistics is an embodied theory of grammar derived from literary studies, which is used here to construct a theoretical framework for teaching metalinguistic understanding in writing. The proposed framework includes concepts to support the way writers might focus their 'readerly' attention via devices such as 'figure' and 'ground', 'scope', 'attentional windowing' and 'deixis', to create narrative perspectives and interactions between narrative participants, by means of 'clausal action chains'. The theory is premised on the idea that students can be taught to 'embody' the imagined narrative world, and make specific grammatical choices to effectively capture, for the reader, each element of their story. The framework outlines the role of the teacher, when supporting the student, in both the 'embodiment' of their narrative, and their grammatical decision‐making.