Using such ethnographic techniques as interviews, classroom observations, and videotape recordings, a study explored the impact of two kindergarten teachers' theoretical orientations to literacy (whole language versus mechanics/skills) on children's developing concepts of writing. Data analysis revealed that children in a communication/whole language classroom wrote more and longer products than did children in a mechanics/skills classroom. Also, children in the communication/whole language classroom were allowed to choose their own topics, thus acquiring the notion that sharing a message was the goal for writing. Generally, the children in the mechanics/skills classroom wrote fewer, shorter pieces, many of which were copied from other sources. Students in this classroom generally listened to teacher instructions about letter shapes and sounds and directions for content and learned to write graphically conventional letters and words. Subjects in the communication/whole language classroom, however, learned to write their message the best they could with some assistance from others if necessary, and shared the message of their completed product with others. As opposed to the communication/whole language classroom where a wide range of writing behaviors were accepted and encouraged, the mechanics/skills classroom restricted the range of writing processes used by the students. Appended are the Analysis Guidelines and the questionnaires and interviews used in the study. (HOD)