Narrative Narrative Strategies Strategies

in SLAin SLARobb KvasnakRobb Kvasnak

Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic UniversityLinguistics, Dr. Stayc DuBravacLinguistics, Dr. Stayc DuBravac

Fall 2004Fall 2004

Private SpeechPrivate Speech What is it?What is it?

What is its role in What is its role in language acquisition?language acquisition?

Who uses it?Who uses it?

When do they use it?When do they use it?

Is its role the same for Is its role the same for all students?all students?

Is it culturally defined Is it culturally defined or influenced?or influenced?

Lev Lev Semeonovich Semeonovich

VygotskyVygotsky Development of Development of private speech as a private speech as a tool starts as an tool starts as an interpersonal process interpersonal process and only then and only then becomes intrapersonalbecomes intrapersonal

Adults continue to Adults continue to access object-, other- access object-, other- and self-regulationand self-regulation

1896 – 19341896 – 1934

Vygotsky’s ZPDVygotsky’s ZPD

Two Vygotskyan Two Vygotskyan ResearchersResearchers

William FrawleyWilliam Frawley James LantolfJames Lantolf

Principle of Continuous Principle of Continuous AccessAccess

Object regulationObject regulation Other regulationOther regulation Self regulationSelf regulation

Adults continue to access object- and other-Adults continue to access object- and other-

regulation in cognizing difficult tasksregulation in cognizing difficult tasks Use depends on the difficulty of a task – Use depends on the difficulty of a task –

because each form is connected to specific because each form is connected to specific toolstools

Researching UseResearching Use Fawley & Lantolf looked at 4 points in analyzing Fawley & Lantolf looked at 4 points in analyzing

the type of regulation used:the type of regulation used:

1) macrostructure1) macrostructure

2) tense and aspect2) tense and aspect

3) reference3) reference

4) affective markers4) affective markers They assigned specific usage to each point, e.g. They assigned specific usage to each point, e.g.

use of the past to indicate a distancing of events, use of the past to indicate a distancing of events, an object-regulated usean object-regulated use

Their findingsTheir findings

First:First:

““There are no absolute differences between second There are no absolute differences between second language and native speakers, as is often language and native speakers, as is often assumed to be the case in many studies which assumed to be the case in many studies which purport to compare native and second language purport to compare native and second language performance” performance”

Their findingsTheir findings

Second:Second:

““An individual never actually An individual never actually becomesbecomes an adult to remain an adult.”an adult to remain an adult.”

Third:Third:

“… “… errors may not be errors as such, errors may not be errors as such, but may well represent a speaker’s but may well represent a speaker’s attempt to gain control of a task.”attempt to gain control of a task.”

Their findingsTheir findings

Fourth:Fourth:

All communication strategies can be divided into All communication strategies can be divided into other-regulation, object-regulation and self-other-regulation, object-regulation and self-regulation. Ergo, “speaking is the exercise of regulation. Ergo, “speaking is the exercise of control of objects, of others, and of self.” control of objects, of others, and of self.”

DifferentiatingDifferentiating

Steven G. Steven G. McCaffertyMcCafferty

Deeply interested in Deeply interested in the development of the development of private speechprivate speech

Carried out replication Carried out replication research in a similar research in a similar form as Frawley & form as Frawley & LantolfLantolf

DifferentiatingDifferentiating Vygotsky sees development as dialectic and not Vygotsky sees development as dialectic and not

linear linear

Cites DiPietro: the learner has to find a “voice” in Cites DiPietro: the learner has to find a “voice” in the target language the target language

Cites Appel: native speakers use more private Cites Appel: native speakers use more private speech in retelling an expository article than a speech in retelling an expository article than a narrative text narrative text

DifferentiatiingDifferentiatiing McCafferty points out that people of different McCafferty points out that people of different

cultural backgrounds use varying degrees of cultural backgrounds use varying degrees of private speech private speech

Cites Ahmed: not all of the items used by Frawley Cites Ahmed: not all of the items used by Frawley and Lantolf necessarily correspond to specific and Lantolf necessarily correspond to specific forms of regulation in all casesforms of regulation in all cases

This StudyThis Study

Will ask subjects to narrate 2 series of Will ask subjects to narrate 2 series of pictures – one in their mother tongue, the pictures – one in their mother tongue, the other in L2other in L2

Aims at exploring the differences they use Aims at exploring the differences they use in L1 and L2in L1 and L2

Will compare their narrative strategies Will compare their narrative strategies with those of other culture groupswith those of other culture groups