Quality of Classroom Language in Instructional and Non-Instructional Activities

Abstract

Previous research shows that some classroom activities have more probability of exhibiting classroom language that is supportive of language development, such as teacher’s responsivity and teaching behaviors (Cabell, DeCoster, LoCasale-Crouch, Hamre, & Pianta, 2013; Dickinson, Hofer, Barnes, & Grifenhagen, 2014; Fuccillo, 2011; Girolametto and Weitzman, 2002; Hu, Dieker, Yang, & Yang, 2016). These studies left out some language characteristics such as teacher directivity and children’s probability of talking, and they did not seek to explain the intra-classroom variability in language using variables beyond the specific type of activity. GOALS AND HYPOTHESES To understand the intra-classroom factors associated to language use in preschool, by using the Instructional/Non-Instructional dimension. We hypothesized that activities deemed “Instructional” (have an instructional goal), would exhibit more teaching, more responsivity, and more child language, than activities that do not have an instructional goal. METHOD Measures In each Activity, we counted: -Teaching -Language Stimulation -Closed Questions -Directives -Proportion of Child Talk. -Teacher and Child Average Sentence Length -Teacher and Child Lexical Density. Multilevel Regression Analyses show that significant portion of variance is explained by the instructional/non-instructional dimension. Mediation analysis showed that the association between instructional activities and probability of children talking is mediated by teachers’ use of directives 8 Activities Non Instructional Breakfast Lunchtime Free Play Other N-I Time Instructional Greeting Learning Experience Book Sharing Book Discussion RESULTS Unconditional Models show that most variance in language occurs within classroom, not between classroom . Quality of Classroom Language in Instructional and Non-Instructional Activities Katherine Strasser Michelle Darricades Susana Mendive Gabriela Barra School of Psychology School of Education Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile This study was funded through a grant from FONDECYT Chile (Fondo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología) Grant Number N°11160566 DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS Contextual factors play a role in the quality of the language that children are exposed to. When teachers are involved in instructional activities they use more stimulating and less directive language, and children talk more. These findings could be used to support teachers’ use of stimulating language across different kinds of activities.