”Preschool classroom conversations as long-term resources for second langauge and literacy acquisition”.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the quality of the conversation Norwegian children with Turkish as their native language are met with at daycare centres can predict the children’s ability to speak and write in Norwegian in their 1st year at primary school. The authors’ hypothesis is that children who experience rich and varied language from preschool teachers at daycare centres will have a more developed vocabulary and a better ability to listen in the 1st year of primary school. The amount of conversations, the number of word types and the complexity of explanations at different daycare centres are examined and related to the children’s ability to speak and write in their 1st year at primary school.

The study shows that the variation and complexity of conversations at daycare centres for the 25 children could predict the children’s vocabulary and ability to define words in the 1st year of primary school. Bilingual children who went to daycare centres characterised by a rich and varied use of language were more likely to have developed their language skills in the 1st year of primary school than children from daycare centres with a less rich and varied language. Among other things, 'language skills' refers to vocabulary and the ability to define words. However, the authors do not see a connection between conversations at daycare centres regarding word sounds and phonetic/letter combinations on the one hand and the children’s ability to write in the 1st year of primary school on the other hand.

Data material comprises transcriptions of video footage from ‘group time’ in 20 different pre-school classes, and test results on 25 bilingual children’s ability to speak and write. This data is used to examine relationships between the conversations at daycare centres and the children’s ability to speak and write in their 1st year at primary school.

Aukrust, V.B. & Rydland, V. (2011). ”Preschool classroom conversations as long-term resources for second langauge and literacy acquisition”. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 32, 198-207.