Lesson Fifteen - Examining Zach's language from the transcript

Summarise what's happening with Activities, Interactions and Language Developement

- Z starts off during the transcript fiddling with a pen until H addresses him with "What darling?" and he starts to talk and explain what he's trying to do.

- Next after Z stops fiddling with the pen Z asks where his (drawing) pad is and starts to draw once he finds it.

- For quite a chunk of the transcript from this point H talks to Z, while hes drawing, about his drawing and other related topics such as what he has eaten that day.

- While H and N talk Z doesn't say anything, we know from the video he's fiddling with the pen again so he doesn't have anything to add to what his parents' are saying.

- After growing bored of playing with the pen and pad Z picks up his activity book and just as he starts to chatter about it N brings in dinner for N and H so Z's attention turns to what's going on around him and not his activity book.

- Next after the "dinner talk" Z goes back to his activity book, however this time unlike most parts of the transcript Z is talking to H to start more talking than H talking to Z like previously as he's explaining the book to H like H doesn't have any knowledge of the story line.

Interesting aspects of the Data

- Z rarely says "you" in the transcript because he mainly talks about himself and what he's doing so he uses more possessive nouns such as "my" and "I".

Example;

Z; I don't know (.) where is my little pad?

- H sometimes repeats what Z says as a question as a way to confirm understanding or to get more information from Z.
Example (confirming understanding);
Z: I cutting round the edge (.) so it doesn't get sharp
H: so it doesn't get sharp?//

Example (getting more information from Z);
H: yeah we had some banana didn't we? (1) what happened though?

- Z also asks a question as part of his response to H's question.
Example;
H: What are you doing now? (1)
Z: I don't know (0.5) where's my little pad gone?

- When Z doesn't respond right away H uses his name to get his attention so he knows he's being spoke to.
Example:
H: here it is (12) what are you drawing (.) Zach?

- Z uses plural with certain words.
Example;
Z: I cutting round the edge (.) so it doesn't get sharp

- Z also pronounces a few words slightly wrong by knowing the sound part of the word makes as it's similar to the sound of a letter but it doesn't work in the particular word spoken.
Example;
Z: it doesn't go frough

- H uses positive reinforcement with Z such as praise and confirmation of what he's said is right.
Example;
Z: I think I don't (Z puts end of pen inside the cylinder of the spiral binding in the pad)
H: nah I think you don't (4) you wanted to do some drawing

- Z also uses fillers occasionally when he stops to think about his answer regarding remember something that happened earlier.
Example;
Z: erm (.) some biscuits

- When Z stops talking H starts talking to him about a similar topic so he keeps up the chatting without jumping from topic to another completely different which may confuse him.
Example;
Z: yeah (1)
H: what have you eaten today?
Z: (emphasizes) bananas

- H uses politeness when speaking to N as well as Z to be a positive influence for Z to show him manners are important in speaking to others.
Example;
N: mummy's dinner
H: ooh lovely (0.5)
Z: and daddy's dinner!(1)
N: and daddy's dinner (.) yes
H: thank you very much

- H refers to Z's spaghetti bolognaise as "special pasta" as it's easier for Z to say and remember at such a young age, plus H, N and Z have that understanding of what special pasta is.
Example;
Z: I don't like bolognay
N: you do (.) it's your special pasta
H: you do (.) that's one of your favorite things (.) it's what I use to make your special pasta

- H sometimes uses repetition as praise to tell Z what he said is right.
Example;
Z: and bolognay
H: and bolognaise (.) yes

- H also praises Z by calling him a star which to children means they've done something fantastically brilliant.
Example;
H: you are a star (.) little man (1)//

- Z addresses H with a tag question during the transcript when he's confused by something in his activity book.
Example;
Z: I can't (.) I can't (.) I can't get it up dere (.) no?

- When offering to help H doesn't address herself as "mummy" but as "I" as the two are in mid conversation so H doesn't have to call herself mummy on this occasion as Z knows it's H offering him help.
Example;
H: does it go further? (.) does it? (.) shall I? (.) help?