The nature of teacher-child interactions in emotion discourse

Thomas, Dawn V.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/16120 Copy

Description

Title

The nature of teacher-child interactions in emotion discourse

Author(s)

Thomas, Dawn V.

Issue Date

2010-05-19T18:36:59Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Ostrosky, Michaelene M.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Ostrosky, Michaelene M.

Committee Member(s)

• McCarthey, Sarah J.
• Gaffney, Janet S.
• Felner, Tweety
• Cheatham, Gregory

Department of Study

Special Education

Discipline

Special Education

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Social Interaction
• Emotions
• Early Childhood
• Emotional Development
• Discourse
• Teacher-Child Interaction
• Relationships

Abstract

Emotions find their meanings within human relationships that permit emotions to be experienced, expressed, and explored. Social and emotional competence, marked by an understanding, expression, and control of emotion, is one of the hallmarks of emotional discourse—demonstrated in the very nature of interactive communication as individuals relate to one another. The literature pertinent to preschoolers’ emotional expression and emotion-word use in natural environments, group settings, and in the context of discourse, is limited in scope. Although research related to teacher-child relationships is prolific, specific research examining the nature of their interactions, most particularly related to emotion during discourse, is scarce. The current study was designed to address these gaps through an investigation of the following research questions: (a) How do preschool children express their emotions during interactions with their teacher?; (b) What are the communication patterns within teacher-child interactions in Head Start classrooms during emotion discourse?; and (c) What are the Head Start staff’s (teachers and administrators) perspectives of the role emotion discourse plays in the classroom? The study demonstrated that bookreading elicited more emotion words than did breakfast. The emotion words used most frequently included happy, mad, sad, angry, and grumpy. Findings also included a description of strategies teachers used to extend conversations with children about emotions.

Graduation Semester

2010-5

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/16120

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2010 Dawn V. Thomas

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