Children’s Use of Objects in Their Storytelling

Abstract

Children’s academic achievements are often measured by their levels of literacy and numeracy where a considerable amount of interest has been given to these specific learning domains. Narrative skills feature prominently in children’s later literacy in American and New Zealand research (Griffin et al. 2004; Reese et al. 2010). For instance, Reese et al. (2010) demonstrated that the quality of children’s oral narrative expression in the first 2 years of reading instruction uniquely predicted their later reading, over and above the role of their vocabulary knowledge and decoding skill. Stuart McNaughton’s research in South Auckland (McNaughton 2002) has also emphasised the value of narrative competence for future literacy practice while illustrating the different styles of storytelling and reading across different cultural communities. When children narrate experiences and story-tell, they engage in cognitive, affective and social experiences and explorations that extend beyond simple conversation – opportunities to understand the social world – and one’s place within it arises (Bruner 1991). Narratives are recognised as essential to both autobiographical memory and identity (Wertsch 2002; Bruner 2002; Szenberg et al. 2012). Classic studies remind us of the autonomy of children in developing their own cultural routines through mutual negotiations and storying (Sutton-Smith 1997 p.171) and the powerful combination of adding affect to cognition using story (Egan 1997; Vivian Gussin Paley 2004). In short, narrative competence is a valuable outcome in its own right.

Appendix: CA Transcription Conventions

The conversation analysis symbols used to transcribe the data are adapted from Jefferson’s conventions described in Sacks et al. (1974).

[:

The beginning of an overlap.

]:

The end of an overlap.

=:

The equals sign at the end of one utterance and the beginning of the next utterance marks the latching of speech between the speakers. When used in-between words, it marks the latching of the words spoken in an utterance with no break.

(0.4):

The time of a pause in seconds.

:::

Lengthening of the prior sound. More or less colons are used to represent the longer or shorter lengthening.

↑:

A rising intonation in speech.

↓:

A falling intonation in speech.

-:

Abrupt break from speech.

Underscore:

Marks an emphasis placed on the underscored sound.

Bold:

Underscored words in bold indicate heavy emphasis or shouting.

°degree sign°:

Either side of a word indicates that it is spoken in a quiet, soft tone.

(brackets):

Utterance could not be deciphered.

((brackets)):

Double brackets with words in italics indicate unspoken actions.

$dollar$:

Dollar signs indicate the talk was in a smile voice.

*creaky*:

Asterisks indicate the talk was in creaky voice.

~wavy line~:

Wavy lines indicates a wobbly voice (as in crying).

>arrows<:

Utterance spoken quickly.

<arrows>:

Utterance lengthened.