Syntactic Structures in Dialogue: the Role of Influence
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Northern Iowa UNI ScholarWorks Dissertations and Theses @ UNI Student Work 2016 Syntactic structures in dialogue: The role of influence Brenda Ellen Hite University of Northern Iowa Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy Copyright ©2016 Brenda Ellen Hite Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons Recommended Citation Hite, Brenda Ellen, "Syntactic structures in dialogue: The role of influence" (2016). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 286. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/286 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Work at UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses @ UNI by an authorized administrator of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Copyright by BRENDA ELLEN HITE 2016 All Rights Reserved SYNTACTIC STRUCTURES IN DIALOGUE: THE ROLE OF INFLUENCE An Abstract of a Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Education Brenda Ellen Hite University of Northern Iowa July, 2016 ABSTRACT Genuine dialogues reflect the way that language is initially developed by providing opportunities to hear and practice language. Participants within dialogues are found to speak in similar ways through the priming effect, giving language learners continued opportunities to hear and practice a greater variety of syntactic structures. The purpose of this study was to determine if genuine dialogue, and the priming that occurs, could aid in the use and expansion of syntactic structures. Within the context of Reading Recovery, the teacher/researcher (a female member of the dominant culture) and a single student participant (male, African American, 6- years-old) were engaged in dialogue. Dialogues were transcribed and analyzed for the syntactic structures used, relationships between the syntactic structures of dialogue participants, and the engagement of the student participant in genuine dialogue. The results indicated that the student participant was engaged in genuine dialogue and was primed to use similar syntactic structures as the teacher/researcher. The student participant had more opportunities to talk (using a variety of syntactic structures) during genuine dialogue than in explicit instruction. The most profitable dialogue for the student participant, in terms of talking opportunities and primed contributions, was a dialogue in which the teacher/researcher and the student participant discussed a shared experience. Through the course of this study, the student showed evidence of varied syntactic usage and growth. Children can be primed within the context of genuine dialogue, possibly providing opportunities for continued language growth and expansion. The use of genuine dialogues within classrooms can provide similar opportunities to less- experienced language users. Further research could include studies that (a) utilize a greater number of subjects, (b) concern the topic of dialogue, and/or (c) examine the application of new syntactic structures practiced through dialogic priming in other language forms. SYNTACTIC STRUCTURES IN DIALOGUE: THE ROLE OF INFLUENCE A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Education Brenda Ellen Hite University of Northern Iowa July, 2016 ii This Study by: Brenda Ellen Hite Entitled: Syntactic Structures in Dialogue: The Role of Influence has been approved as meeting the thesis requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in Education _________ ______________________________________________________ Date Dr. Deborah Tidwell, Chair, Thesis Committee _________ ______________________________________________________ Date Dr. Sohyun Meacham, Thesis Committee Member _________ ______________________________________________________ Date Dr. Salli Forbes, Thesis Committee Member _________ ______________________________________________________ Date Dr. Kavita R. Dhanwada, Dean, Graduate College iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to thank my thesis advisor, and thesis committee chair, Dr. Deborah Tidwell of the University of Northern Iowa. Thank you for your continued support, constructive feedback, and for reeling me back in whenever I became too scattered. I would also like to express my gratitude to Dr. Sohyun Meacham, thesis committee member and Critical Friend, of the University of Northern Iowa. Thank you for providing your expertise and critical perspective with regards to the components of language, data collection, and language analysis. I would like to thank Dr. Salli Forbes, thesis committee member, of the University of Northern Iowa. Thank you for your support and for providing feedback utilizing your extensive knowledge regarding Reading Recovery and early literacy instruction. I would also like to thank Mahjabeen Hussain, an assistant within the Literacy Education Division at the University of Northern Iowa. Thank you for your assistance in transcribing the recorded lessons. I would like to thank my colleagues. I want to express my appreciation to Mrs. Dulce Orozco for translating the letters of consent and making contact with families. Thank you to Mrs. Christine Kugler for agreeing to serve as the contact for families during the selection process. Thank you to Mrs. Jessie Peters and Ms. Chelsea Cole for making contact with families regarding receipt of the letters of consent, ensuring that a student participant could be selected. iv Finally, thank you to my family, close friends, and Eric Lage. Thank you for being a steadfast source of encouragement. You have all endured this process with me and maintained your support of my aspirations. Thank you for putting up with my busy schedule and random bouts of panic. I would never have been able to accomplish this goal without you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ vii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 Key Terms ......................................................................................................................5 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................7 Importance of Attention to Syntax .................................................................................8 Culturally Responsive Instruction................................................................................21 Dialogue .......................................................................................................................28 Priming .........................................................................................................................35 Implications for Priming in the Classroom ..................................................................60 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................65 Setting ..........................................................................................................................66 Syntactic Structures within Dialogue ...........................................................................68 Participants ...................................................................................................................71 Data Collection ............................................................................................................75 Data Analysis ...............................................................................................................83 CHAPTER 4. RESULTS ...................................................................................................97 Syntactic Usage ............................................................................................................97 Genuine Dialogue ......................................................................................................116 Researcher Influence ..................................................................................................123 vi CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION ...........................................................................................129 Syntactic Usage ..........................................................................................................130 Genuine Dialogue ......................................................................................................142 Researcher Influence ..................................................................................................148 Summative Thoughts .................................................................................................153 Limitations and Implications .....................................................................................157 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................161 APPENDIX A: ANALYSIS CODES ..............................................................................169 APPENDIX B: DIALOGUE TRANSCRIPTIONS AND SYNTACTIC CODING .......174 APPENDIX C: WRITTEN TEXT ANALYSES .............................................................234 APPENDIX D: GENUINE DIALOGUE AND RESEARCHER INFLUENCE ANALYSES ...............................................................................................................236 vii LIST OF TABLES