"""If there's more than one bus you say..."": Cultural-linguistic mismatch within the context of teacher-child interactions"

Hamilton, Megan-Brette

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/55737 Copy

Description

Title

"""If there's more than one bus you say..."": Cultural-linguistic mismatch within the context of teacher-child interactions"

Author(s)

Hamilton, Megan-Brette

Contributor(s)

• DeThorne, Laura
• Hengst, Julie
• Johnson, Cynthia

Issue Date

2014-11-16

Keyword(s)

• cultural-linguistic diversity
• qualitative
• education
• African American English
• English language learner
• teacher-child interaction
• sociocultural

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the complexities of teacher-student interactions with a focus on the potential role of cultural-linguistic mismatch, particularly as it relates to a child who speaks African American English. Data collection included field note data from classroom observations, classroom videos of teacher-child interactions during literacy lessons, home videos of child-caregiver interactions, and interviews. Analyses included categorical coding of observational field notes and discourse analyses of video transcripts. Three key findings emerged: (a) power differential between teachers and children that tended to privilege Mainstream American English; (b) semiotic resources, including language and physicality, played a prominent role in mediating/scaffolding interactions; and (c) interactions revealed complex patterns of both alignment and mismatch, which included linguistic, paralinguistic, and nonlinguistic features. Implications and future directions related to this study specifically include: (a) the need for direct examination of nonlinguistic and paralinguistic aspects of communication within the field of communication sciences and disorders; (b) explicit acknowledgement of multiple Englishes within the school curriculum and classroom dialogue; and (c) further exploration of the longitudinal consequences that may unfold as a result of speaking a non-mainstream dialect or language, especially as it relates to African American boys.

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/55737

Copyright and License Information

Copyright by Megan-Brette Hamilton, 2014

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