While the small group discussion is widely used in language classes, there is little empirical research on its efficacy. This research specifically focuses on novice level language students in order to understand the ways that they express agreement and disagreement in group interaction. This study utilizes the methodological framework of Conversation Analysis conducting a micro-analysis of student turn-taking practices and their embodied behavior. This research uncovered the fact that the novice level language learners utilized resources that are not generally considered when investigating agreement and disagreement. Nonverbal actions such as smiles and gaze shifts accomplished affiliative work mitigating disagreement turns. Facial expression, laughter, and gestures were often relied on to compensate for deficits in grammar and lexicon. A second finding of the research was that the students were able to accomplish significantly more as members of a group than they could as individuals. The multi-person context created a framework enabling members to participate. The students demonstrated a high level of collaboration, joining in word searches, successfully constructing collaborated completions, and frequently offering support to each other through receipt tokens, nods, and smiles. They proved to be each other's best resource. Another finding of the study was the importance of basic patterns of turns in effective group discussion. For example, in order for an argumentative sequence to emerge, a third response was expected: Turn 1, the claim; Turn 2, disagreement; and, Turn 3, defense, counterattack, or concession by the first speaker or a different speaker. For less skillful groups where topics were not well developed, only two-part sequences were utilized, not allowing subsequent and related talk to occur. Finally, this study contributes to research on the acquisition of disagreement strategies. Surprisingly, in expressing disagreement, these novice level language students employed a number of different means to express disagreement that were more often associated with advanced learners. For example, they delayed their disagreement turns, and they utilized accounts, exemplification, and elaboration when disagreeing. Though these students were not always able to express themselves fluently, they were nevertheless quite capable in expressing agreement and disagreement in the target language. / English

This study aims to expand on the existing research regarding teachers’ oral feedback practices in third turns of initiation-response-feedback (IRF) sequences. There is a gap in the existing research on oral corrective feedback practices in third turns of IRF sequences in the context of Swedish upper secondary school. The aim of this study is to fill some of that gap by providing results and insights from the Swedish context of upper secondary school. A classroom audio recording of a teacher’s classroom talk from an English class with second year students was subjected to conversation analysis to discover general patterns of this teacher’s oral corrective feedback practices in the third turn of IRF sequences. It emerged that implicit corrective feedback practices were frequent, with conversational recasts being among the most common types of feedback. The result of this study thus turned out to be in line with what previous research had found to be common oral corrective feedback practices among teachers.

Yes / The Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE-111) is a neuropsychological test used in clinical practice to inform a dementia diagnosis. The ACE-111 relies on standardized administration so that patients’ scores can be interpreted by comparison with normative scores. The test is delivered and responded to in interaction between clinicians and patients, which places talk-in-interaction at the heart of its administration. In this article, conversation analysis (CA) is used to investigate how the ACE-111 is delivered in clinical practice. Based on analysis of 40 video/audio-recorded memory clinic consultations in which the ACE-111 was used, we have found that administrative standardization is rarely achieved in practice. There was evidence of both (a) interactional variation in the way the clinicians introduce the test and (b) interactional non-standardization during its implementation. We show that variation and interactional non-standardization have implications for patients’ understanding and how they might respond to particular questions. / Partially funded by a grant by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Program (Grant Reference Number PB-PG-0211-24079).

The study investigates the potential of teacher talk in enhancing learner capacity to negotiate learning, premised on a view of classroom interaction as guided construction of knowledge. It examines the extent to which levels of oracy - essentially, awareness of the language of instruction, and the ability to use it more effectively - can be raised by exposing teachers to an in-service distance education language-based course. The main research questions are: a. What are the effects of the course in classroom text and discourse on oracy in the high school classroom? b. How can the quality of classroom discourse be assessed in a relatively systematic and objective manner? With regard to the second question, an analytical framework was developed that defined three key constructs in terms of discourse acts, namely teacher dominance, teacher effectiveness and learner initiative, and these constructs formed the basis of the three hypotheses. Patterns of interaction in English, mathematics and geography classes during the first year of high school in Harare, Zimbabwe (main study) and Zomba, Malawi (supplementary study) were analysed. The Zimbabwe study used a pretest-posttest control group design, with six teachers in the experimental group and three as controls, while the Malawi study used a posttest-only control group design with three teachers in each group. The experimental groups took part in an intervention programme known as the Litraid Project, a course on classroom text and discourse. The findings, interpreted both quantitatively and qualitatively, showed that after intervention the experimental group teachers dominated classrooms less and used discourse input more consciously and effectively. Similarly, their learners showed improved ability to negotiate learning, as reflected in their heightened levels of initiative and discourse output, both in class and group discussion. Hence the conclusion that classroom praxis, specifically in English second language situations, benefits from a conscious enhancement of oracy, leading to more effective teaching and learning. / Linguistics / D.Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

<p>Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka vilka ordtyper som är lätta respektive svåraatt nå fram till med bliss standardkarta och vilka strategier som är mer respektive mindreeffektiva. Deltagarna, 24 kvinnliga studenter utan funktionshinder, delades upp i par. Den enai paret fick i uppgift att förklara 12 målord, som inte finns med på bliss standardkarta, enbartgenom att använda bliss standardkarta. Den andra i paret fick i uppgift att gissa vilkamålorden var. Eftersom tidigare studier indikerat att ordklass, frekvensnivå ochabstraktionsnivå kan påverka ords svårighetsgrad, valdes målorden i föreliggande studieutifrån dessa variabler. Resultatet visade att målordens ordklass inte påverkade derassvårighetsgrad. Målordens frekvensnivå påverkade svårighetsgraden i viss utsträckning.Abstraktionsnivå var den variabel som påverkade svårighetsgraden mest. Eftersom deabstrakta och ovanliga målorden var svårast, kan det vara klokt att inkludera de ordtyperna påblisskartan. Några strategier som gynnade kommunikationen var när blissaren använde syntaxoch syntaktiskt prompting samt när gissaren gav blissaren tid att avsluta sina fraser. Dessastrategier kan vara lämpliga att rekommendera till blissanvändare och deras samtalspartners.</p> / <p>The aim of this study was to investigate which types of words that are easy and difficult toreach with Bliss Swedish standard chart and also which strategies that is more and lessefficient. The participants, 24 female students with no functional limitations, were grouped inpairs. One in each pair was given the task to explain 12 target words that is not present onBliss standard chart, by using only Bliss standard chart. The other person in each pair wasgiven the task to guess which words that were asked for. Since former studies have indicatedthat word class, level of frequency and level of abstraction can affect words' degree ofdifficulty, the target words in this study were chosen based upon those factors. The resultsdemonstrated that the word class of the target words did not affect their degree of difficulty.The frequency of the target words affected their degree of difficulty in some ways. The levelof abstraction of the target words was the factor that affected the degree of difficulty the most.Since the abstract and infrequent target words were most difficult, it may be a good idea toinclude those types of words on the Bliss chart. Some of the strategies that were beneficial forcommunication were the blisser’s use of syntax and syntactic prompting. Another strategy thatwas beneficial for the communication was giving the blisser enough time to finish herphrases. It may be appropriate to recommend those strategies to Bliss users and theircommunication partners.</p>

<p>Syftet med studien var att undersöka interaktion vid logopedisk intervention för personer med afasi. Interaktionen utspelade sig i en institutionell kontext där undersökningen syftade till att påvisa om interaktionen skiljer sig åt beroende på interventionens form. Bakom studien finns antagandet att afasi påverkar förmågan att kommunicera. Språkliga svårigheter, såsom ordmobiliseringsproblem samt språkförståelseproblem, kan leda till pragmatiska svårigheter, och intervention syftar ofta till att öka förmågan att använda språket i olika vardagliga aktiviteter. Metoden för analysen i studien är inspirerad av Conversation Analysis (CA) då det är en metod för att systematiskt analysera interaktion. Sex interventionssamtal mellan logopeder och personer med afasi spelades in och analyserades med hjälp av CA. Fem logopeder och sex patienter med afasi medverkade i studien. Analysen resulterade i identifikation av fyra, för syftet, relevanta fenomen: riktning i samtalet, gemensamt mål, avslut av samtalsämne samt avdramatiserande uttryck. Efter analysen kunde följande tendenser konstateras: Logopeden tar ansvaret för samtalet, men det framkom en antydan till att patienten tar mer initiativ att påverka riktningen i samtalet vid friare delar, såsom icke-uppgiftsinriktade delar av interventionen. Oftast satte logopeden målet i samtalet och tog därmed ansvar för att ett gemensamt mål skapades. I interventionssamtalen var det logopeden som oftast stod för ämnesbyten och avslut. Det framkom i analysen att patienten oftare avslutade samtalsämnet i icke-uppgiftsinriktade än i uppgiftsinriktade delar av interventionen. Avdramatiserande uttryck i samtalet användes ofta för att undvika att hota patientens ansikte, oavsett vem som avdramatiserade situationen.</p>

Syftet med studien var att undersöka interaktion vid logopedisk intervention för personer med afasi. Interaktionen utspelade sig i en institutionell kontext där undersökningen syftade till att påvisa om interaktionen skiljer sig åt beroende på interventionens form. Bakom studien finns antagandet att afasi påverkar förmågan att kommunicera. Språkliga svårigheter, såsom ordmobiliseringsproblem samt språkförståelseproblem, kan leda till pragmatiska svårigheter, och intervention syftar ofta till att öka förmågan att använda språket i olika vardagliga aktiviteter. Metoden för analysen i studien är inspirerad av Conversation Analysis (CA) då det är en metod för att systematiskt analysera interaktion. Sex interventionssamtal mellan logopeder och personer med afasi spelades in och analyserades med hjälp av CA. Fem logopeder och sex patienter med afasi medverkade i studien. Analysen resulterade i identifikation av fyra, för syftet, relevanta fenomen: riktning i samtalet, gemensamt mål, avslut av samtalsämne samt avdramatiserande uttryck. Efter analysen kunde följande tendenser konstateras: Logopeden tar ansvaret för samtalet, men det framkom en antydan till att patienten tar mer initiativ att påverka riktningen i samtalet vid friare delar, såsom icke-uppgiftsinriktade delar av interventionen. Oftast satte logopeden målet i samtalet och tog därmed ansvar för att ett gemensamt mål skapades. I interventionssamtalen var det logopeden som oftast stod för ämnesbyten och avslut. Det framkom i analysen att patienten oftare avslutade samtalsämnet i icke-uppgiftsinriktade än i uppgiftsinriktade delar av interventionen. Avdramatiserande uttryck i samtalet användes ofta för att undvika att hota patientens ansikte, oavsett vem som avdramatiserade situationen.

Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka vilka ordtyper som är lätta respektive svåraatt nå fram till med bliss standardkarta och vilka strategier som är mer respektive mindreeffektiva. Deltagarna, 24 kvinnliga studenter utan funktionshinder, delades upp i par. Den enai paret fick i uppgift att förklara 12 målord, som inte finns med på bliss standardkarta, enbartgenom att använda bliss standardkarta. Den andra i paret fick i uppgift att gissa vilkamålorden var. Eftersom tidigare studier indikerat att ordklass, frekvensnivå ochabstraktionsnivå kan påverka ords svårighetsgrad, valdes målorden i föreliggande studieutifrån dessa variabler. Resultatet visade att målordens ordklass inte påverkade derassvårighetsgrad. Målordens frekvensnivå påverkade svårighetsgraden i viss utsträckning.Abstraktionsnivå var den variabel som påverkade svårighetsgraden mest. Eftersom deabstrakta och ovanliga målorden var svårast, kan det vara klokt att inkludera de ordtyperna påblisskartan. Några strategier som gynnade kommunikationen var när blissaren använde syntaxoch syntaktiskt prompting samt när gissaren gav blissaren tid att avsluta sina fraser. Dessastrategier kan vara lämpliga att rekommendera till blissanvändare och deras samtalspartners. / The aim of this study was to investigate which types of words that are easy and difficult toreach with Bliss Swedish standard chart and also which strategies that is more and lessefficient. The participants, 24 female students with no functional limitations, were grouped inpairs. One in each pair was given the task to explain 12 target words that is not present onBliss standard chart, by using only Bliss standard chart. The other person in each pair wasgiven the task to guess which words that were asked for. Since former studies have indicatedthat word class, level of frequency and level of abstraction can affect words' degree ofdifficulty, the target words in this study were chosen based upon those factors. The resultsdemonstrated that the word class of the target words did not affect their degree of difficulty.The frequency of the target words affected their degree of difficulty in some ways. The levelof abstraction of the target words was the factor that affected the degree of difficulty the most.Since the abstract and infrequent target words were most difficult, it may be a good idea toinclude those types of words on the Bliss chart. Some of the strategies that were beneficial forcommunication were the blisser’s use of syntax and syntactic prompting. Another strategy thatwas beneficial for the communication was giving the blisser enough time to finish herphrases. It may be appropriate to recommend those strategies to Bliss users and theircommunication partners.

In speech and language intervention, the ability to interact is seldom evaluated; rather intervention is evaluated in terms of improved testresults.  If goal-setting in intervention also is based on everyday communicative needs, the relevance of the treatment may be increased and intervention outcome may be implemented in the patient’s natural environment. The present study, as part of a research-project, is based on analyses of interaction and interviews to examine everyday conversations and speech and language intervention. The aim was to explore if there is a relation between everyday communication needs and goal-setting in speech and language intervention for people with aphasia. A further aim was to investigate if there are everyday communicative needs that may form goals for speech and language intervention. Two individuals with aphasia and one individual with both dysarhtria and aphasia participated in the study. Three speech and language pathologists and two relatives also participated in the study. Everyday interaction and intervention sessions were recorded and transcribed according to Conversation Analysis principles and analysed from an interactional perspective. Interviews regarding intervention and everyday communication were carried out with all participants. Recordings were presented and discussed with all participants, in so called retrospections. Four phenomena that illustrate communication needs of the participating patients were identified: repair, alternative and augmentative communication, co-construction and feedback. Analysis, interviews and retrospections have revealed that communication needs can form the basis of goal-setting in speech and language intervention. It is also demonstrated that intervention mainly is based on the everyday communication needs of the patient. Retrospections were also shown to be useful in order to observe communication needs in everyday life and in order to evaluate speech and language intervention. The retrospections were found to be beneficial to an open dialogue between speech and language pathologist, patient and relatives regarding the content and aim of the intervention.

Kommunikation och interaktion är viktigt för att utveckla både språklig och social kompetens. Barn som använder alternativ och kompletterande kommunikation (AKK) får dock inte alltid samma möjligheter som talande barn att kommunicera. Speciellt svårt kan det vara att interagera och därigenom skapa relationer med jämnåriga. Det övergripande syftet med denna studie var att studera samtal mellan jämnåriga, speciellt hur de bygger upp och upprätthåller gemensam förståelse i samtal. Studien innefattade två unga pojkar som på grund av cerebral pares (CP) saknade talförmåga och därför använde bliss som AKK. De filmades under ett samtal med varsin klasskamrat. En samtalsanalytisk metod (conversation analysis, CA) användes för att identifiera mönster i interaktionen och analysera deltagarnas strategier för att etablera gemensam förståelse. De strategier som användes visade sig vara tolkningsförslag, följdfrågor, formuleringar och reparationer. Strategierna användes främst vid responspunkter efter blissyttranden, men reparationer förekom även under konstruktionen av yttranden. Analysen visade också att förståelsestrategier ibland saknades i det ena samtalet vilket då ledde till att samtalet stannade av. De talande tog större delen av ansvaret för förståelsearbetet i båda samtalen, men även de blissande pojkarna var delaktiga. Sammantaget visade analysen att samtal med AKK kan se mycket olika ut. Vilka strategier deltagarna använde sig av för att etablera gemensam förståelse var av stor betydelse i båda samtalen. Det krävdes att alla samtalsdeltagare var engagerade i förståelsearbetet för att samtalet inte skulle avstanna. / Communication and interaction are important parts in developing both linguistic and social skills. Children who uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) may not always have the same opportunities as talking children to communicate. It can be especially difficult to interact and thereby create relationships with peers. The aim of this study was to explore conversations between peers, more specifically in which ways they establish and maintain common understanding in the conversation. Participants in the study were two young boys with cerebral palsy (CP) causing non-intelligible speech, and therefore using blissymbolics as their AAC. The boys were videotaped during a conversation with a classmate. A Conversation Analysis method (CA) were used to identify patterns in the interaction, and to analyze the participants' strategies to establish common understanding. Strategies used were suggestions of interpretation, following up-questions, formulations and reparations. The strategies were most used in transition-relevance places, but reparations could also be found during the creation of blissymbolic utterances. The analysis also found that understanding-oriented strategies sometimes were missing in one of the conversations, which led to breakdown in the conversation. The talking individuals were responsible for establishing common understanding in the major part of both conversations, but the boys using blissymbolics did not leave the responsibility entirely to them. In total the analysis showed that conversations with AAC can differ in many ways. Which strategies the participants used to establish common understanding were of great importance in both conversations. Every participant in the conversation were obliged to engage in creating common understanding in order to not lead the conversation to a breakdown.