Literature / 57
Many models of analysis of conversation can be found in the literature,
that of Verth (1981) is one of the most comprehensive (see Annex 2.3).
When focusing on conversations involving children, however, most of the
models are based on studies of very young children (Malzone and
Parker,1979); Holzman,1972; Brown,1980), or refer to child-child conversa-
tions (van Hekken and Boelofsen,1982), or consider children’s conversa-
tions with teachers in informal settings (ColelDore et al.,1978). Others
are restricted to a functional classification of conversational acts
(Dore,1979).
One of the few models which focuses on the interactive structure of
adult-child conversations is Mishler 's (1975 and 1978). A 3~turn unit is
taken as the basis of conversation: Request-Reply-Conflrmation. The
confirmation turn is the turn of the initial speaker which immediately
follows the response of the second speaker (as Sacks suggests, 'one rule
for 2-party conversations is that a questioner has a reserved right to
talk again' - quoted in Mishler,1978:282). This resembles Sinclair and
Coulthard's (1975) 'follow up1, which is a restricted version of
confirmation turn typical of classroom and didactic discourse. In
Informal conversations, however, the range of verbal activities available
to anyone answering an opening is wider, Including refusals to answer,
requests of justification as to why the question was posed etc. (called
'challenging moves' by Burton,1981).
Mishler goes beyond the unit and indicates 'modes of connection between
interrogative units' such as 'Chaining1, 'Arching' and 'Embedding' (see
Annex 2.4) that can be applied to a
example is Villiams et al.,1982, who
analysing parent-child interaction
limitation of this model, however, is
by a question.
variety of conversational events. An
apply and elaborate on the model in
in book-sharing situations. One
that it applies only to units opened