Thesis (M Speech Path)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Narrative skills have found to be a predictor of academic success with clear correlations to later reading and writing abilities in children. The quality of narratives and the language disorders displayed in specific clinical populations has also been correlated, making narratives a useful diagnostic tool. To be able to know what is atypical, one has to know what is normal. Normative based assessment materials are very limited in South Africa. Commercially available assessments are often inappropriate because of the complex nature of narratives and the influence of socio-economic, linguistic and cultural factors. There is therefore a need not only to develop appropriate assessment materials but also to obtain normative data for use in the South African context. The main research question this study attempted to answer is: What are the patterns of narrative development in normally developing children? A total of 62 typically developing children from schools in a middle class residential area was selected. Three different age groups were identified: Grade R (5 to 6 years), Grade 1 (6 to 7 years) and Grade 3 (8 years 6 months to 9 years 6 months) based on their different exposure to literate language. It was assumed that they would display distinct patterns of narrative development, with an increase in the complexity of narrative features with age. A wordless picture book, regarded as appropriate for the South African context, was developed and used to elicit a narrative from each participant. Narratives were analysed using a comprehensive narrative assessment protocol. Assessment areas included macrostructure, microstructure, use of literate language and the use of abstraction. Results were compared in terms of group differences and developmental trajectories. The assessment protocol showed similar story lengths in all age groups, suggesting that when the developed wordless picture book was used as elicitation stimulus, any significant differences between groups could be of diagnostic value. Results showed clear developmental trajectories in terms of macrostructural measures. The group differences between Grade R and Grade 1 in terms of microstructural measures were not significant. There was, however, a significant increase in terms of syntactic complexity and lexical diversity from Grade R to Grade 3. No significant development was observed in terms of the use of literate language features across the year groups and a group effect was offered as a possible explanation. In contrast to concrete statements, children as young as 5 years old used mainly abstractions in their generated narratives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Narratiefvaardighede is nie net ‘n voorvereiste vir akademiese sukses nie, maar korreleer ook met lees- en skryfvaardighede in kinders. Weens die korrelasie tussen die kwaliteit van narratiewe en die taal van kinders met spesifieke taalgestremdhede, het narratiewe ook diagnostiese waarde. Om te weet wat atipies is, moet ‘n mens weet wat normaal is. Normatiewe evaluasiemateriaal is baie beperk in Suid-Afrika. Die evaluasies wat kommersieël beskikbaar is, is dikwels ontoepaslik weens die kompleksiteit van narratiewe en die invloed van sosioekonomiese, linguistiese en kulturele faktore. Dit is daarom belangrik om geskikte evaluasie materiaal te ontwikkel en normatiewe data te bepaal vir gebruik in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Met hierdie studie is daar gepoog om die volgende navorsingsvraag te beantwoord: Hoe ontwikkel narratiewe in normaal ontwikkelende kinders? ‘n Totaal van 62 tipies-ontwikkelende kinders is geselekteer uit hoofstroomskole in ‘n middelklas residensiële omgewing. Drie verskillende ouderdomsgroepe is geteiken op grond van hulle blootstelling aan geletterdheidstaal: Graad R (5 – 6 jaar), Graad 1 (6 – 7 jaar) en Graad 3 (8 jaar 6 maande – 9 jaar 6 maande). Daar is aangeneem dat die groepe baie spesifieke patrone in narratiefontwikkeling sou toon, met ‘n toename in die kompleksiteit van narratiewe met toename in ouderdom. ‘n Woordlose prenteboek, wat beskou is as toepaslik binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, is ontwikkel en gebruik om ‘n narratief van elke deelnemer te ontlok. Narratiewe is ontleed met behulp van ‘n omvattende evaluasieprotokol. Areas vir ontleding het makrostruktuur, mikrostruktuur, gebruik van geletterdheidstaal en die gebruik van abstraksie ingesluit. Resultate is vergelyk ten opsigte van groepsverskille en ontwikkelingspatrone. Die storielengte van die verkillende ouderdomsgroepe het ooreengestem en suggereer dat wanneer die woordlose prenteboek as ontlokkingstimulus gebruik word, enige beduidende verskille tussen groepe van diagnostiese waarde is. Die resultate het duidelike ontwikkelingspatrone getoon ten opsigte van makrostrukturele meetings. Groepsverskille tussen Graad R en Graad 1 was onbeduidend ten opsigte van mikrostrukturele metings. Daar was egter ‘n beduidende toename ten opsigte van sintaktiese kompleksiteit en leksikale diversiteit van Graad R tot Graad 3. Geen beduidende ontwikkeling is waargeneem ten opsigte van die gebruik van geletterdheidstaal oor die jaargroepe nie en ‘n groepseffek is as moontlike verduideliking gegee. Kinders so jonk as 5 jaar oud het hoofsaaklik abstrakte taal teenoor konkrete taal in hul narratiewe gebruik. Kliniese implikasies vir spraak- en taalterapeute is bespreek.