Word searches: on the use of verbal and non-verbal resources during classroom talk

Word searches: on the use of verbal and non-verbal resources during classroom
talk

Abstract

Word finding difficulties in children are typically characterised by search behaviours
such as silence, circumlocution, repetition and empty words. Yet, how children’s
word searches are constructed (including gesture, gaze and prosody) and the actions
accomplished during interaction have not yet been researched. In this study, eight-
year-old Ciara is interacting with her teacher in the classroom. 37 segments
containing word searches were analysed according to the procedures used by
conversation analysts. Ciara’s interactional resources include co-ordinated
deployment of syntax, pitch height and downward gaze during solitary searching that
assist the enterprise of self-repair. Gaze shift towards the teacher signals a transition
relevance place, thus constituting a direct invitation for her to participate in the
search. Ciara’s interactional resources include semantic category labelling,
phonological self-cuing and pronominal substitution that supply valuable linguistic
information to the teacher and trigger production of the searched-for item.
Recommendations for language teaching and therapy are presented.

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