THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG MINDSET INSTRUCTION, KINDERGARTENERS' PERFORMANCE, AND MOTIVATION IN WRITER'S WORKSHOP

Abstract

This mixed-methods study employs an experimental intervention supported by qualitative observation, interaction, and analysis in the area of motivation and writing in elementary school. The quantitative questions of this study are: 1) How does the writer's workshop plus mindset instruction affect the overall writing achievement on a standardized measure?, (2) Is the writer's workshop plus mindset instruction effective on a near measure of writing closely aligned to instruction?, (3) Does the writer's workshop and mindset instruction increase literacy and writing motivation in young children?, and (4) Do children persevere through challenging writing tasks? The qualitative questions are: (1) Does children's thinking about their writing and motivation change when teachers use the writer's workshop plus mindset intervention?, (2) How are writing and mindset skill strategies evident as children work through difficult writing hurdles?, (3) Does children's writing change qualitatively over time when teachers use the writer's workshop plus mindset intervention?, and (4) How are children verbalizing their thinking when working through writing tasks and self-reflecting on their personal motivation?

This study used a convenience sample of 27 kindergarteners randomly assigned to an experimental group and a business-as-usual control. The intervention lasted for approximately 27 hours over the course of nine weeks and is based on the writer's workshop model for writing instruction, plus self-regulated strategy instruction and mindset instruction.

Quantitative data collection came from two writing and two motivation assessment measures. MANCOVA, ANOVA and one-sample t-tests were used to analyze the data. The qualitative data came from interviews, during instruction discussion and lessons, writing samples, and recorded conversations during measurement tasks. Data was analyzed using grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967).

Results of the study indicate that adding mindset instruction and self-regulation strategy instruction to a writer's workshop framework could be useful for teachers who are attempting to scaffold students into becoming motivated, self-regulated writers. Results show this intervention could help provide authentic writing and motivation instruction that not only helps students become independent and inspired writers within a classroom context, but also shows an increase in their achievement on standardized test scores.

Keywords: writer's workshop, kindergarten, mindset, motivation