Work in my absence 27/9/16

Hope you are all well and working hard!

I haven't seen many blogs about coursework ideas, so use at least half an hour to go up to the library and get out some relevant reading and make some notes (don't forget the Harvard bibliographical reference for your notes), if you haven't done that. I want firm ideas on Friday with theory to test.

There are hard copies of the following transcript (I hope) in B22 for you, with the register to sign but if it is a hardship for you to come in, please print off your own version and email me with the reason why.

We will start the presentations next classroom lesson. Email me if you have any worries/issues/stuff for presentations. Don't forget the performance today - they are down to one fabulous performer because of disappointing ticket sales but it is still worth going to!

Blog your discussion of the following ideas, using theory, terminology and contextual points by Friday, please.

Look closely at this transcript of Zach (about a year after the one we've looked at). Don't answer it question by question - make notes and then organise ideas into paragraphs.

1. His speech often seems less fluent - can you suggest some contextual reasons why?
2. Who sets the agenda in the first and second conversations? How does this affect the amount and quality of talk?
3. Look at the vocabulary, sentence types and MLUs in the two transcripts - what development can you see over the course of the 13 months?
4. What non-standard uses appear? What alternative interpretations could you offer as to why?
5. Whose theories do the transcripts support/contradict (think power and gender and accent/dialect as well as CLA)?
6. How reliable is the data when drawing any kind of conclusions?

Zach and the healing robot (watch up to 3:17)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05fVwsKfWiw

Zach 3;5 (Z) and Mummy(H) both home ill, are completing a team project 'build a robot' and Zach is project leader.

[Z tapping the back of a cardboard box with fingertips of both hands]

Z: doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo (0.5) now the robot house is gone right

H: oo you fixed it? well done (.) what did you have to do?

Z: I had to(.) just put the thing in (.) and then I had to put the deep buttons on, and then I had to go in (1)

H: so you have to go in next (.) is that what you're saying?

Z: yeh I need one more bit of tape

H: to do?

Z: the covering back [biting off pieces of brown tape] (0.5) [turning towards Mummy] can you do it Mummy?

H: yes [unwinds the tape]

Z:  a very long bit

H: oo a long bit?(2 ) this long?

Z: yeah (3) thank yooou [taking tape and applying it carefully to the back of the box] tahdah!

H: ooh (.) what happened? (2)

Z: it got lots of hurt all the way down (.) so I put lots of (0.5) sellotape on it (.) so it could feel better

H: oh good

Z: [climbing onto armchair] an I'm sitting here (.) to (.) for waiting (.) to get (0.5) better (.) for it (0.5)

H: waiting for the robot to get better?/(0.5) ok, its gotta take some time to heal has it?/

Z:/yeah/yeah

H: ok, how about we have some breakfast (.) while the robot heals

Z: we can't (.) we'll just have to wait an wait an wait

H: oh(.) because?

Z: because it's a long time for the robot to heal

H: so that's why it's a good idea to have some breakfast while we're waiting

Z: we don't need breakfast(.) it's gonna take a little time now (2) cos it went wrong before (.) now we (.) then it healed and now (.) it will take a little time(.) for the robot to heal again (2)

H: ok (.) so we just wait? we don’t have breakfast?

Z: yeah(.) it's gonna be a long time though(.) but we're not gonna have breakfast still (0.5)

H: because?

Z: because [picks up a cardboard box] we needing 3 (0.5) 1,2,3,4,5 pom poms (0.5)

H: right

Z: and 1,2,3,4,5 pom poms that we need to put on the robot

H: oh(.) can we do that while the robot's healing?

Z: no (6) [looking into a plastic container and pulling out a glue spreader] we need to take all the glue sticks off [leaning over arm of armchair] I dropped one of the glue (.) spreaders

H: you did (1)

Z: please can you pick it up

H: how about yooou pick it up

Z: but (.) I want you to pick it up (.) for special

H: for special? [amused] just this once?

Z: yeah

H: well (.) I think (.) you might need the magic word then

Z: please