Playing With the Language of the Classroom: Teacher Prompts and Multitouch Table Apps

• In Event: 29.083 - Poster Session 4
  In Poster Session: 29.083-4 - Poster Session 3: Cognitive Processes

Abstract

Exposure to academic language in preschools potentially provide English language learners valuable practice in academic language registers. In a novel setting, the author conducted a single-case design experiment exploring ways to use a multi-touch table app to support oral language development in young students. Pre-post language assessments, qualitative analysis of video sessions and continuous vocabulary assessments provided data for visual analysis. Data provide reasonable evidence that the intervention likely accounted for the changes in student language. A business as usual condition corroborated the generally non-verbal nature of student interaction with screen-based tools. Productive talk is apparent mainly when a skilled adult encourages student interaction. This implies that multi-touch tables are a potentially valuable setting to scaffold emergent academic registers.

Author

• Catherine Anne Miller, The University of Vermont