Why Can't Tyrone Write? Perceptions of Three, African-American Eighth Grade Males about School Writing

Abstract

Using qualitative methods and a case study design, the perceptions and writing processes of three African-American eighth grade males were explored. Data were derived from semi-structured and informal interviews; a researcher reflective journal, classroom observations, and student work samples. The study concluded that, even though these three students made improvements in the quality of their school writing over the course of eight months, they maintained negative views toward the act of school writing and remained anxious about their abilities to write at school. The perceptions of the three participants' writing processes did not adhere to the steps depicted by the process model of writing (Flower and Hayes, 1981) that has become a dominant model for describing the composing processes of students. Recommendations are made for altering the Flower and Hayes model to depict how these three, African-American eighth graders perceive school writing.