Learning to modalize is learning to reason
On the role of epistemic modalizations in parent–child-talk and in written argumentation of secondary school students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/rcsi.12418Keywords:
argumentative development, epistemics, modality, collaborative reasoning, oral and written communicationAbstract
This exploratory case study examines the interplay between epistemic modalizations and children’s argumentation from a language acquisition perspective. Two (pre)adolescents’ written argumentative texts and recordings of oral decision tasks (parent–child dyads) across four years (grades 6 to 9) present the basis of the longitudinal case study. Repertoires of epistemic modalizations drawn on in written and oral argumentation are described; these are related to overall argumentative structures of the texts as well as to interactive patterns of oral reasoning. Findings show that the occurrence of epistemic modalizations systematically coincides with more elaborated argumentative structures that deal with counter-claims and alternative evidence. In addition, oral reasoning seems to function as an arena for discovering and practicing epistemic modalizations and their potential for constructing two-sided argumentation, and pave the way for a transfer into written communication.
References
Blum-Kulka, S. (2002). “Do You Believe That Lot’s Wife Is Blocking the Road (to Jericho)?”: Co-Constructing Theories About the Wo rld With Adults. In S. Blum-Kulka & C. E. Snow (Eds.), Talking to Adults: The Contribution of Multiparty Discourse to Language Aquisition (pp. 85–115). Mahwah, London: Erlbaum.
Bova, A. (2015). Children’s responses in argumentative discussions relating to parental rules and prescriptions. Ampersand, 2, 109–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amper.2015.08.002
Boye, K. (2016). The expression of epistemic modality. In J. Nuyts & J. van der Auwera (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of modality and mood (pp. 117–140). Oxford, New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Bredel, U., & Lohnstein, H. (2003). Die Verankerung von Sprecher und Hörer im verbalen Paradigma. In L. Hoffmann (Ed.), Funktionale Syntax: Die pragmatische Perspektive (pp. 122–154). Berlin, New York: W. de Gruyter.
Coirier, P., & Golder, C. (1993). Writing argumentative text: A developmental study of the acquisition of supporting structures. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 8(2), 169–181. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173160
Doitchinov, S. (2007). Modalverben in der Kindersprache: Kognitive und linguistische Voraussetzungen für den Erwerb von epistemischem können. Berlin: Akademie Verlag.
Domenech, M., & Krah, A. (2014). What familial aspects matter? Investigating argumentative competences of learners at the beginning of secondary schooling in the light of family-based resources. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 3, 77–87.
Du Bois, J. W. (2007). The stance triangle. In R. Englebretson (Ed.), Stancetaking in discourse: Subjectivity, evaluation, interaction (pp. 139–182). Amsterdam, Philadelphia: John Benjamins Pub.
Felton, M., & Kuhn, D. (2001). The Development of Argumentive Discourse Skill. Discourse Processes, 32(2-3), 135–153. https://doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2001.9651595
Gätje, O., Rezat, S., & Steinhoff, T. (2012). Positionierung. Zur Entwicklung des Gebrauchs modalisierender Prozeduren in argumentativen Texten von Schülern und Studenten. In H. Feilke & K. Lehnen (Eds.), Schreib- und Textroutinen: Theorie, Erwerb und didaktisch-mediale Modellierung (pp. 125–153). Frankfurt am Main, New York: Lang.
Grundler, E., & Vogt, R. (2013). Mündliche Argumentationskompetenz im Primarbereich sowie in den Sekundarstufen I und II. In S. Gailberger & F. Wietzke (Eds.), Handbuch Kompetenzorientierter Deutschunterricht (1st ed., pp. 456–490). Weinheim Basel: Beltz.
Hauser, S., & Luginbühl, M. (2017). Wenn Kinder argumentieren - Grundlagen und erste Befunde einer Studie zur mündlichen Argumentationskompetenz von Schulkindern. In I. Meißner & E. Wyss (Eds.), Begründen – Erklären – Argumentieren. Konzepte und Modellierungen in der Angewandten Linguistik (pp. 89–105). Tübingen: Stauffenburg.
Heller, V. (2018). Embodying epistemic responsibility The interplay of gaze and stance-taking in children’s collaborative reasoning. Research on Children and Social Interaction, 2(2), 262–285.
Heller, V., & Krah, A. (2015). Wie Eltern und Kinder argumentieren. Interaktionsmuster und ihr erwerbssupportives Potenzial im längsschnittlichen Vergleich. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Germanistenverbandes, 62(1), 5–20.
Hickmann, M., & Bassano, D. (2016). Modality and mood in first language acquisition. In J. Nuyts & J. van der Auwera (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of modality and mood (pp. 430–447). Oxford, New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Kärkkäinen, E. (2003). Epistemic stance in English conversation: A description of its interactional functions, with a focus on I think. Amsterdam [u.a.]: Benjamins.
Kienpointner, M. (1996). Vernünftig argumentieren: Regeln und Techniken der Diskussion (Orig.-Ausg). Reinbek bei Hamburg: Rowohlt-Taschenbuch-Verlag.
Kirkham, S. (2011). Personal style and epistemic stance in classroom discussion. Language and Literature, 20(3), 201–217. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963947011413505
Knobloch, C. (2001). Wie man den Konjunktiv erwirbt. In H. Feilke, K.-P. Kappest, & C. Knobloch (Eds.), Grammatikalisierung, Spracherwerb und Schriftlichkeit (pp. 67–90). Tübingen: Niemeyer.
Köller, W. (1995). Modalität als sprachliches Grundphänomen. Der Deutschunterricht. (4), 37–50.
Nuyts, J., & van der Auwera, J. (Eds.). (2016). The Oxford handbook of modality and mood (First edition). Oxford, New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Ozturk, O., & Papafragou, A. (2015). The Acquisition of Epistemic Modality: From Semantic Meaning to Pragmatic Interpretation. Language Learning and Development, 11(3), 191–214. https://doi.org/10.1080/15475441.2014.905169
Pohl, T. (2014). Schriftliches Argumentieren. In H. Feilke & T. Pohl (Eds.), Schriftlicher Sprachgebrauch. Texte verfassen (pp. 287–315). Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Hohengehren.
Quasthoff, U., Wild, E., Domenech, M., Hollmann, J., Kluger, C., Krah, A., . . . Wibbing, J. (2015). Mündliches und schriftliches Argumentieren in der Sekundarstufe I: Können Eltern ihre Kinder beim Erwerb dieser Schlüsselkompetenz unterstützen? In A. Redder, J. Naumann, & R. Tracy (Eds.), Forschungsinitiative Sprachdiagnostik und Sprachförderung - Ergebnisse (1st ed., pp. 68–88). Münster, Westf: Waxmann.
Redder, A. (2009). Modal sprachlich handeln. Der Deutschunterricht, 61(3), 88–93.
Rezat, S. (2011). Schriftliches Argumentieren. Zur Ontogenese konzessiver Argumentationskompetenz. Didaktik Deutsch, 31, 50–67.
Selting, M., Auer, P., Barth-Weingarten, D., Bergmann, J., Bergmann, P., Birkner, K., . . . Uhmann, S. (2011). A system for transcribing talk-in-interaction: GAT 2. Gesprächsforschung - Online-Zeitschrift zur verbalen Interaktion, 12, 1–51. Retrieved from http://www.gespraechsforschung-ozs.de/fileadmin/dateien/heft2011/px-gat2-englisch.pdf
Toulmin, S. E. (1958/2003). The Uses of Argument: Cambridge University Press.