Teachers’ Use of Mental State Talk: Narration of Wordless Picture Storybooks with Preschoolers

Abstract

Purpose. Rich language experiences during early school years have been linked withpreschoolers' multiple development outcomes. The present study explores preschool teachers’ useof mental state talk during wordless picture storybook narration. Additionally, it investigates howteachers’ years of experience and educational qualification influence the use and variation inmental state talk.Method. In total, 67 preschool teachers participated in story narration sessions with a group of4-5 preschoolers, using indigenous wordless picture storybooks. Transcriptions from theaudio-recorded storytelling sessions were coded into three mutually exclusive categories ofcognition, emotion, and desire of mental state talk.Results. The findings indicated that preschool teachers vary in frequency with which they usemental state talk. Moreover, the results showed that teachers used more cognitive mental stateterms than emotional or desire terms. It revealed that teachers with higher educationalqualifications and better teaching experience use more mental state talk as compared to lessereducational qualifications and teaching experiences.Conclusion. Teachers need to be aware and conscious about the use of words and mental stateterms while interacting with the pre-schooler and their contribution to child-related outcomes. Itprovides direction for policymakers to induct teachers with proper qualifications and experienceto interact with the pre-schoolers. The present research is unique in its utilization of indigenouspicture storybooks by preschool teachers and it adds to the dearth of work on teachers’ mental statetalk.