Learning Gender Subjectivities through Peer Language Socialization Practices in Pretend Play: The case study of a trilingual child in a Turkish presch

Abstract

Article History: Received 23.10.2015 Received in revised form 08.02.2016 Accepted 14.02.2016 Available online 21.03.2016 Second language learning includes not only acquiring grammar rules and new vocabulary but also learning the social routines of the culture to specifically project subjectivities in the way that is valued by the culture. This paper is part of a larger ethnographic fieldwork on naturally occurring peer group interactions of Turkish preschool children. The focused participant of the study is a 4 years old boy, Mete, who is trilingual and can speak English, Spanish and learn Turkish in the preschool. The excerpts in the study came from different play activities of children including family play and block play and were analyzed using techniques of talk-in-interaction with ethnography. The results suggest children pay attention to ideologies of gender from their culture, and socialize group members to project valued stances and subjectivities through utilizing a variety of linguistic resources strategically. © 2016 IOJES. All rights reserved