Parent child interaction in Nigerian families: conversation analysis, context and culture

There is clearly a need to further explore the applicability of PCI based SLT to parents from
ethnic minority communities, particularly in cases where SLT makes generalised suggestions for
improvements to PCI rather than highlighting individual differences. A deeper understanding of
the linguistic input necessary for language development would also be helpful, particularly for
children growing up in non-mainstream cultures. Further studies of PCI based on a CA approach,
taking into account not only adult linguistic input but also the meaning, form and function of
interaction would be beneficial. There is a continued risk that culturally biased assumptions
influence the practices of SLTs. The current study has further supported the view recognised by
others (van Kleek, 1994; Le Bas, 1995; Law, 1999), that SLT based on the socio-interactionist
perspective is not always appropriate for all families. PCI is clearly not a static and universal
concept and is influenced by a number of inter-related factors, including ethnicity. Many gaps in
our knowledge of this complex area still remain and continued research would help to achieve
what is surely the ultimate goal of all SLTs, the provision of effective and appropriate SLT for all
children, including those from ethnic minority communities.

References

Bruner, J.S. 1983: Child’s Talk. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

File, N. 1994: Children’s play, teacher-child interactions, and teacher beliefs in integrated
early childhood programmes. Early Childhood Research Quarterly 9, 223-240.

Furrow, D., Nelson, K. and Benedict, H. 1979: Mother’s speech to children and syntactic
development: some simple relationships. Journal of Child Language 6, 423-442.

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