The ability to manipulate and to adhere to these conventions is reflective of "power and power difference" and that therefore all language, including the written, plays a social role (Kress, 1993, p. 31). .
Possessing a working knowledge of functional gramma allows teachers to accurately assess the level of a child's writing ability and comprehension. Even teachers of very young children can draw upon their knowledge of functional grammar in order to guide the children's thinking (Christie 1996) and explore the meaning of the text. Understanding functional grammar equips us with the knowledge and skills necessary to deconstruct language and to build meaning. As teachers this leads us to be able to more fully develop students who can build on the meaning of language and reflect upon the nature of such meanings (Christie 1996). Teachers who focus on communication only and avoid teaching and exploring grammar may actually lead to "students being stranded in their interlanguage" (Butt et. al., 2001. p. 41). Knowledge about language empowers students, and they develop metalanguage for thinking and talking about language (Carter 1990, in Christie 1996) that leads to writing and language awareness. .
Spelling is an integral aspect of any writing program in the classroom. The Department of Education and Children's Services South Australia (D.E.C.S. 1997, P.9) states that the major purpose for learning to spell accurately and proficiently is to "enable the writer to convey her/his meanings as clearly as possible" and that therefore students should engage in a variety of writing experiences that are relevant to the writer and to the topic/ theme/ unit of work being studied. The needs of students in terms of spelling should be addressed within the "context of daily writing experienced" and by providing and scaffolding "structures learning" that equips students with strategies of phonic, morphemic, visual and kinaesthetic matures' (D.