Summer Language Project Proposal

Proposed Title of Investigation

Is there a significant difference between the complexity of vocabulary and accurateness of grammar between a year 6 child with a minor learning difficulty and a typically developing year 6 child?’

A Description of the Data I Intend to Collect

I intend to collect 3 recordings and turn them into transcripts from both of the children and 2 written pieces of work from both of the children. 1 recording from each child will be of them talking to their teacher (same teacher), 1 will be of them talking to me and the final 1 will be of them talking to each other, so will share 1 transcript. The 2 each written pieces of work will be of similar subject and purpose – quite important to make sure that the teacher and the children and I make the two conversations with the two different children as similar as possible.

How I will collect the Data

I will collect the data by going into the school and asking permission from both children, both sets of parents, their school and any teacher that I record talking to the children. I will also ask not only is it okay for me to record the children and make transcripts from their conversation, but also to photocopy some of their work.

My Linguistic Interests in this Data

I am interested in this data linguistically as I am really interested in finding out the differences in vocabulary and grammar between different types of children.

My Hypothesis / What I Expect to Find

I’m expecting to find that the child with a minor learning difficulty will have significantly less complex vocabulary and difference in length of turns and (discourse)

 

Language- Focused Issues –

This is one of the most important sections of this sheet.  You need to identify specific areas of the language that you will look closely at.  It might help to select a relevant framework and then identify aspects that would be interesting (e.g. Pragmatics – Politeness – To what extent do males and females differ in their levels of directness & politeness/ indirectness?)

I want to look at the complexity of the children’s vocabulary, length of turns ( and discourse).

Predictions

1)    Discourse and fluency – What differences will there be? False starts…Fillers…Pauses and Repairs…

Making an assumption that these are signs of intelligence. When maybe, they aren’t?

2)    Typically developing child will have a more complex vocabulary than other child.

3)    Child who’s typically developing will use much more indirect politeness strategies.