Writing as a learning tool in subjects on several grades. Results from studies in spring 2011 and 2012

Relevant national context:
Since the implementation of educational standards in Germany the role of writing enhances in all subjects on all educational forms and schooling levels. The writing competence is used in the different subjects to solve specific problems. In the presentation we will discuss approaches to science in grade 4 and to German lessons in grade 7 using “well defined writing tasks (Aufgaben mit Profil)" (Bachmann & Becker-Mrotzek, 2010) in collaborative writing situations.
Research questions:
The focus lies on content learning through writing and follows the question how to enhance content knowledge in subjects using a) special writing assignments and b) collaborative writing situations. In grade 4 the intervention used the story telling method in science problem solving situations, in grade 7 the intervention is based on Grahams SRSD-Modell using communicative practices and adaptive scaffolds from oral to adequate written texts.
Method:
In both cases writing interventions were adapted to special subject needs and hetero-geneous preconditions and qualifications of learners. Comparing results of Pre- and Post-tests in writing as well as students´ self-assessment questionnaires and using information from Nature of Science Interviews (Carey et al., 1989) and process observations there could be proofed effects of effective learning procedures.
Results:
Writers enhanced both writing abilities and content understanding. They used forms of colla-boration in planning, writing and rewriting phases of text production in different quality. The adaptation of intervention material to heterogeneous learning groups was one of the special points of success and rise of students´ writing motivation.
Discussion:
The results help us to understand literal procedures in the different subjects to support stu-dents´ learning processes adaptively. With the help of differential results, describing products and processes we can give advise to enhance content competences through writing to practitioners.