Language and behaviour: interactions with young children in a school for social, emotional and behavioural difficulties

Abstract

This is an ethnographic study exploring interactions between adults and children within the Early Years Department of a primary school for children described as having social emotional and behavioural difficulties. The study is based on an interpretation of the children’s needs which recognises that there may be mismatches between child and adult perceptions of the environment within which they operate. This interpretation arises from an awareness that each child’s unique constellation of difficulties relate to core skills, including language and communication. Video observation was used to record interactions between children and adults. Linguistic ethnographic analysis was used to interrogate the resultant data. These data showed evidence of collaborative problem solving techniques which built on Post-Vygotskian concepts of learning. The identified patterns of language and communication brought about the notion of behaviour supportive learning; that is symmetry in interaction which contributes to children’s ability to evolve situation appropriate behaviour. Similarities between behaviour supportive learning and dialogic teaching are observed