Abstract
Word finding difficulties in children are typically characterized by search behaviours such as silence, circumlocution, repetition, and empty words. Yet, how children's word searches are constructed (including gesture, gaze, and prosody) and the actions accomplished during interaction have not yet been researched. In this study, 8‐year‐old Ciara is interacting with her teacher in the classroom. Thirty‐seven segments containing word searches were analysed according to the procedures used by conversation analysts. Ciara's interactional resources include co‐ordinated deployment of syntax, pitch height, and downward gaze during solitary searching that assist the enterprise of self‐repair. Gaze shift towards the teacher signals a transition relevance place, thus constituting a direct invitation for her to participate in the search. Ciara's interactional resources include semantic category labelling, phonological self‐cuing, and pronominal substitution that supply valuable linguistic information to the teacher and trigger production of the searched‐for item. Recommendations for language teaching and therapy are presented.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
