ERIC Number: ED210107
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1981-Apr
Pages: 87
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Participant Perspectives of Classroom Discourse. Executive Summary.
Morine-Dershimer, Greta; And Others
This report presents a summary of findings from a year-long sociolinguistic study of pupil and teacher perceptions of classroom discourse. Subjects were 164 pupils, and their teachers, in six second, third, and fourth grade classrooms in a lower socioeconomic, multiethnic elementary school. Six teacher-planned language arts lessons were videotaped in each classroom over the course of the year. In addition, videotapes were made of conversations in the families of three third-grade pupils and of six randomly selected (stratified by sex and peer status) pupils in each classroom in an unstructured play setting. Videotapes were played back to pupils and a variety of tasks were used to collect data on pupil perceptions of the "rules" of discourse, the "units" and "salient features" of discourse, and the functions of "question cycles" in each of the three settings. Comparisons were made of pupil responses over time, across settings, and in relation to pupil characteristics, including ethnicity, sex, entering reading achievement, peer status, and status with teacher. Pupil perceptions were compared to teacher perceptions, and both were compared to those of outside observers, chiefly sociolinguistic specialists. Important discontinuities were identified between children's perceptions of discourse in home and play settings and their perceptions of classroom discourse. Children's perceptions of and participation in classroom discourse, for example, appeared to be associated with differences in classroom language patterns, as identified by sociolinguists. Pupils' sex, entering reading achievement, peer status, and status with teacher were all significantly related to perceptions of classroom discourse and participation in classroom discourse, but ethnicity was not. Frequency of participation in class discussions contributed significantly to explained variance in final reading achievement. (Author/MP)
Descriptors: Classroom Communication, Classroom Research, Communication Research, Discourse Analysis, Elementary Education, Elementary School Students, Elementary School Teachers, Ethnic Groups, Longitudinal Studies, Low Income Groups, Peer Relationship, Reading Achievement, Sex Differences, Sociolinguistics, Student Participation, Student Teacher Relationship, Videotape Recordings
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Inst. of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: California State Univ., Hayward. Research Foundation.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: For related documents, see PS 012 539-543.