Page 157 - Second language development of newly arrived migrant kindergarteners - Frederike Groothoff

157 Pedagogical practices: focus on focal pupils’ experiences Finally, the language that was observed was analyzed in more detail. The question that was answered was: what type of language is used by the focal pupil, the peer with whom the focal pupil is interacting, and the teacher?’ Table 7.9 and Table 7.10 present in detail the kind of language focal pupils, peers, and teachers use in the different school types. Overall, most of the time the nature of the language use was qualified as simple language. Simple language means the use of short sentences – mostly one-word sentences. Furthermore, in simple language there would be no explicit reference and the interlocutors would often use words like “this,” “that,” and “like this.” Diminutives were also used often in simple language as well as mostly high frequent words. Complex Language Use, that is, the use of longer sentences, precise reference, and infrequent words with explanation, was hardly observed. Remarkably, the Language Use of the teachers was overwhelmingly coded as simple at both school types.