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

IaplicatiaDS / 180

producing tasks as action; errors would be considered only those that
Inpede cαmmunlcatiαn, but before reaching this point, adequate repair
devices or alternatives codes would have been used; the message, not
the medium, would be the main focus;

in the development of accuracy, the pupil is the learner, and the
teacher should have the specific skills to make him aware of the
relationship between the different Items in the linguistic system, so
that he can move within the model and search the appropriate
structures to match the communicative demands of the situation; errors
would be those that reveal inadequate mapping of the system, and
therefore would be carefully cheked out and would indicate the
duration and quality of further tutoring; the adequacy of linguistic
means in promoting sign-mediated activity (for the development of
scientific concepts) would be the main focus.

In conclusion, the Zone of Proximal Development and the concept of
Activity seem to provide the means to explain the common ground and
specificities of home and school as Instructional settings for language
learning. From these models,, a methodology for the learning of L2 at
school could be worked out: an interesting point to develop, in the
context Cf the specific setting of this study, would be that of the role
of 'more capable peers' (McLane and Vertsch,1986) at school, as it would
reflect familiar practice in the home (see pages 123 and 169). The *CHILD
to child Programme' for health education in Africa is an example of an
effort in this direction (1). Another area worth exploring refers to the
implications for the methodology of transition from oral to literate
classroom activities and the relative importance given to oracy and
literacy all along the first years of school. Moreover, the introduction
of 'culturally-appropriate learning contexts* (see page 14) would be
theoretically justified.

As the focus here is on teacher education and not on training teachers to

Based at the Institute of Child Health, London, the Programme produce
various materials for community workers, and primary readers (Lowe,1985).

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