Latent Profiles of Writing-related Skills, Knowledge, and Motivation for Elementary Students and Their Relations to Writing Performance across Multiple Genres

Abstract

Our goal in this study is to expand the limited research on writer profiles using the advantageous model-based approach of latent profile analysis and independent tasks to evaluate aspects of individual knowledge, motivation, and cognitive processes that align with Hayes’ (1996) writing framework, which has received empirical support. We address three research questions. First, what latent profiles are observed for late elementary writers using measures aligned with an empirically validated model of writing? Second, do student sociodemographic characteristics—namely grade, gender, English learner status, and special education status—influence latent profile membership? Third, how does student performance on narrative, opinion, and informative writing tasks, determined by quality of writing, vary by latent profiles? A five-profile model had the best fit statistics and classified student writers as Globally Weak, At Risk, Average Motivated, Average Unmotivated, and Globally Proficient. Overall, fifth graders, female students, students without disabilities, and native English speakers had greater odds of being in the Globally Proficient group of writers. For all three genres, other latent profiles were significantly inversely related to the average quality of papers written by students who were classified as Globally Proficient; however, the Globally Weak and At Risk writers were not significantly different in their writing quality, and the Average Motivated and Average Unmotivated writers did not significantly differ from each other with respect to quality. These findings indicate upper elementary students exhibit distinct patterns of writing-related strengths and weaknesses that necessitate comprehensive yet differentiated instruction to address skills, knowledge, and motivation to yield desirable outcomes.