Abstract

This research examines the representations of the writing functions and writing task amongst people with writing and reading difficulties. We question the link between frame representation and transitory representation in text production. Does the organisation of these representations depend on the writing context? How can those representations influence the choice of communicational intention in text production? Can we observe a development between secondary schools with writing and reading difficulties and adults with difficulties? To investigate those questions, we compare metacognitive verbalization acquired from individual interviews within 4 groups: 16 expert adults, 16 adults with writing and reading difficulties, 16 expert secondary schools and 16 secondary schools with writing and reading difficulties. Our results show a link between frame representation, transitory representation and choice of communicational intention. For all groups, the organisation of the representations varies according to the writing context. Nevertheless, the expert groups and those with difficulties aren’t similar. At last, data acquired from interviews point out an evolution of representations between secondary school groups and adults groups.

Key words : illiteracy, writing representation, text production, school, development.