Theobald-etal2017

Theobald-etal2017
BibType	INCOLLECTION
Key	Theobald-etal2016
Author(s)	Maryanne Theobald, AManda Bateman, Gillian Roslyn Busch, Megan Laraghy, Susan J. Danby
Title	“I’m your best friend”: Peer interaction and friendship in a multilingual preschool
Editor(s)	Maryanne Theobald
Tag(s)	EMCA, Multilingualism, Children, Lingua franca, Participation, Children's play, In Press
Publisher
Year	2016
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URL	Link
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Institution
School
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Howpublished
Book title	Friendship and Peer Culture in Multilingual Settings
Chapter

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Abstract

Purpose

This chapter investigates children’s play and social interactions in a multilingual preschool context where the lingua franca (common language) is English. This investigation follows the experiences of one child for whom English is a second language (L2). The analytic focus explores how the L2 learner gains access and participation in play activities in relation to the peer culture of the group. Methodology

Drawing on ethnomethodology and conversation analysis approaches, this paper offers turn-by-turn analysis to show how the children’s interactions unfold, and identifies children’s interactional approaches as they enter play and make friends. Particular attention is focused on how one of the L2 speakers manages his attempts at entry into the others’ games in the building blocks area of the classroom. Findings

The close detailed analysis of one extended episode highlighted the co-produced nature of interaction. The findings identify a repertoire of four resources used by one of the L2 children within the peer group, to access play activities in the building space:

1) linguistic resources of requests, such as ‘Can I play?’ ‘Are you building?’;

2) ‘tailing’ others closely;

3) references to the moral obligations of being a best friend, and;

4) using objects as resources for entry.

While the analytic focus is on one child’s strategies, analysis considers this child’s individual actions in relation to his peers. What is made apparent is that uptake and participation in peer interaction is dependent on the social agenda and the local aspects of peer culture.

Value of chapter

Attention to how children employ strategies to play and the local conditions of peer culture can assist educators to support children’s attempts for participation and friendship in multilingual early years settings.

Notes