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Abstract

Responding to a writer, a core practice for writing teachers begins when the teacher notices the author of a written product. The purpose of this study was to understand how early childhood (EC) preservice teachers (PSTs) in a literacy methods course noticed the K-1 writers responsible for seven written products. Given the lack of research regarding how PSTs take notice of the writer, this qualitative study adds insight into what EC PSTs identify as significant in young writers’ work.

The implications of this study indicate the value in requiring all EC PSTs of writing to complete a teacher preparation course focused on writing. In that course, it would be ideal for PSTs to practice responding to writers. In the absence of writers, teacher educators might use writing samples so that PSTs can approximate responding to writers. As the PSTs come to understand that they are responding to the writer responsible for a writing product, the PSTs might envision ways to nudge forward the writer using encouragement. As a writer’s writing proficiencies are limited [only] by the abilities of teachers to teach [writing] well” (Gallavan & Bowles, 2007, p. 61), continued emphasis on preparing PSTs to attend to the “surplus of possibilities” (Bomer et al., 2019, p. 140) of a writer holds great promise for educating the next generation of writers.

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