A first grader's spontaneous utterances and actions while composing were audiotaped and observed for one school year. Data included both journal writing (self-sponsored) and writing assigned by the teacher. Seven shifts in composing process were identified, relating to his (a) use of resources, (b) focus and sharing, (c) revision process, (d) utilizing a stock of known words, (e) verbalizing while composing, (f) acquisition and application of case knowledge, and (g) control of spatial organization and serial order. Four factors that influenced these shifts were also identified: the pull of conventional forms, the social nature of composing, the importance of topic choice, and the role of the teacher. During the transitional period, a child's ownership of the process is set in a complex relationship with the teacher and peers as scaffold and the child's own increasing privileging of conventional forms.
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