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Interactive communication between children: learning how to make language work in dialogue*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

Anne H. Anderson ,
Aileen Clark  and
James Mullin
Anne H. Anderson*
Affiliation:
University of Glasgow
Aileen Clark
Affiliation:
University of Glasgow
James Mullin
Affiliation:
University of Glasgow
*
H.C.R.C., Department of Psychology, University of Glasgow, G12 9YR, UK.
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Abstract

In this paper we investigate the development of interactive communication skills in 170 children aged seven to thirteen. Using a communication task that allows extended dialogues between pairs of young speakers, we are able to assess both the overall communicative success achieved by any pair; and from an analysis of the dialogues we can identify several interactive strategies that characterize older and more successful communicators. Successful communication involves the active involvement of both participants: asking and answering questions, volunteering information and responding sensitively to contributions from their partners. In contrast to the process of language acquisition, the development of these interactive skills takes place over an extended time period and subjects vary greatly in their ability to communicate effectively. For many analyses differences in the communicative success achieved by subjects differ more within than between age groups. For example, a substantial minority of our oldest subjects communicate no better than children six years younger

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , June 1994 , pp. 439 - 463
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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Footnotes

[*]

The research reported in this paper was supported by a grant from the British Economic and Social Research Council (RC 00232458) and the researchers gratefully acknowledge their assistance. We thank the staff and pupils of the participating schools for their help in this study.

References

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