Maternal mind-mindedness and communicative functions in free-play and mealtime contexts: Stability, continuity and relations with child language at 16 months

The present study aimed at investigating the contextual stability, the contextual continuity and the concurrent associations between maternal measures (general language, communicative functions and mind-mindedness) and child measures (total number of word types and tokens) in two different contexts, free-play and mealtime. To this purpose, the interactions occurring between 25 mothers and their 16-month-old children in each context were video-recorded, transcribed and later coded for the selected measures. Significant contextual stability was observed in the mothers’ production of general language measures (total number of utterances, total number of words and MLU), in the children's production of word types and tokens, and in some communicative functions (Tutorial, Control and Asynchronous). No contextual stability was found for the mothers’ production of attuned mind-related comments. For continuity, both mothers and children produced more utterances and words in the free-play than in the mealtime context; the production of attuned mind-related comments and the use of the Control function were also more frequent in the free-play context. Lastly, the analysis of the concurrent correlations indicated that, especially in the mealtime context, the number of words produced by children was positively associated with the number of words produced by mothers and by their use of the Tutorial and Didactic functions, but negatively associated with their use of the Control function. The mothers’ production of attuned mind-related comments bore no relation with children's expressive language. Similarities and differences with previous findings are discussed.

GAMING PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION: THEIR EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL, LIMITATIONS AND PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD-OF-WORK AND WORLD-OF-PLAY CONTEXT

This article highlights and discusses potential opportunities, limitations and problems related to using games and game technologies (such as gamification) in education. For the purpose of the study, games are seen ontologically as conditional realities. The world-of-work and world-of-play concept, which stems from the ideas of social phenomenology about lifeworld and multiple realities, forms a methodological basis for the analysis and differentiation between game and non-game activities, thus underlying the scientific novelty of our study. The following conclusions were inferred: By turning learning into a game we may prompt students to perceive the world-of-work (duties, responsibilities) as the world-of-play (desires, freedom); then, either the school will lose its socializing role in preparing students for life, which is a world of work and commitments rather than a world of game, or students will become bored with the game that will lose its appeal (or suggest manipulations). Thus, despite all its advantages, game-based and gamified education should not be seen as a panacea.

Effects of Reinforcement on Peer Imitation in a Small Group Play Context

Children with disabilities often have deficits in imitation skills, particularly in imitating peers. Imitation is considered a behavioral cusp—which, once learned, allows a child to access additional and previously unavailable learning opportunities. In the current study, researchers examined the efficacy of contingent reinforcement delivered within a small group play context on the unprompted peer imitation (UPI) behaviors of three children with disabilities. UPI behaviors increased when contingent reinforcement was provided, and maintained with a thinned schedule of reinforcement. However, pretend play and social interactions did not increase concurrently with peer imitation.

What’s happening? And other questions obligating complete sentences as responses

This study was designed to examine the strength of question types to obligate complete responses from children, and the effect of age and play context. Participants were typically developing children (mean ages 2;8, 3;4 and 4;7), who engaged in play with three speech-language pathologists in play contexts. Questions posed to the children were coded by semantic content (Epistemic, Procedural Action, External State, and Causal). Children’s responses were coded for syntactic complexity (complete or incomplete sentences). The effect of question type on response was analysed. All questions yielded high proportions of complete responses, which increased with age. There were no statistically significant differences between question type and completeness of response except for a significant difference found for External State when multi-verb responses were analysed. The results support the use of these question types in play settings with children to promote expression of complete sentences.