Discourse Patterns in First Language Use at Hcme and Second Language Learning at School: an Ethnographic Approach

Interpretation / 136

match those of rural children. There are no children reporting on events
or In charge of younger brothers.

As the textb∞ks are published for use in the whole country, they must be
suitable for all children, and the image of family and community to be
presented in the illustrations that accompany the texts, in the activities
portrayed and in the related talk was thoroughly debated at IFDE, where
the Textbooks were produced. The result is a compromise, with a nuclear
family in a brick house that could belong to a small successful farmer or
a semi-skilled worker in a commercial farm. This Is not the environment
for the majority of the children, but is the model set in accordance with
the overall political aims, and as such is pedagogically justified. It
remains a rural setting, where the majority of children live.

The purpose of the dialogues is twofold, as it is clearly that of a prop
for language practice. But insofar as their aim is to offer samples of
communication in a family setting, one can identify their main purposes
as being the same as in home conversations. There is perhaps an emphasis
on control over information, one dialogue is clearly tutorial, and four
are designed to present social skills in situations outside the home (in
the coach to town, at the Health Centre).

In summary, participants, topic and purpose of interaction are not very
different in home interaction and in texts used for language learning at
school. If one of the aim of the texts is to present a setting that could
be perceived as 'familiar' by the rural children, the image presented
seems reasonably appropriate at this first level of analysis. If the aim
was also that of presenting a sample of 'genuine ' language, however, a
further level of analysis is required.

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