Search

Two studies examined conversations between mothers and children from three different groups to determine culturally preferred narrative elicitation patterns: (1) Japanese-speaking mother-child pairs living in Japan; (2) Japanese-speaking mother-child pairs living in the United States; and (3) English-speaking Canadian mother-child pairs. Experiment 1, which compared mothers from the two Japanese groups, found that Japanese mothers in the United States were more likely to give their children topic-extension prompts than mothers living Japan. Experiment 2, which included comparisons of both groups with English-speaking mother-child pairs, found that Japanese mothers in the United States and Japan provided less evaluation of their children's speaking and more verbal acknowledgement than English-speaking mothers. Japanese mothers in the United States requested more description from their children than did Japanese mothers in Japan. At 5 years of age, Japanese-speaking children, whether living in the United States or Japan, produced about 1.2 utterances per turn, whereas English-speaking children produced about 2.1 utterances per turn. Thus, whereas English-speaking mothers allow their children to take long monological turns, and even encourage this behavior, Japanese mothers simultaneously pay considerable attention to their children's narratives and facilitate frequent turn exchanges. Contains 17 references. (Author/MDM)

The distinctive features of narratives told by Asians, particularly Japanese, who are non-native speakers of English and residing in the United States are analyzed. Focus is on the narrative structure produced and the communication problems occurring due to cultural traits, particularly as they differ from North American norms. Educational and sociocultural issues surrounding multicultural literacy programs as they concern Asian "voluntary minorities." Specific Asian cultural traits that affect classroom communication and participation are noted. Two approaches to multicultural literacy education, additive and social interaction, are described and their advantages outlined. A study of Japanese narrative types, based on data gathered in one community's schools, is then presented. Results are drawn from an analysis of oral and written narratives by native Japanese-speaking children, produced in interviews or in class. Instructional recommendations for teachers of Asian children, based on the additive and social interaction approaches to literacy instruction, are offered. These recommendations address communication, social, cultural, and pedagogical issues specific to this population. Contains 90 references. (MSE)

In this research, using the "Frog, Where Are You?" picture book, 40 bilingual children age 6-12 years were asked to narrate the story in two languages, English and Japanese. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed in order to study the relationship between the use of the two languages. The results generally suggest that those children who possessed competent literacy skills in Japanese (which is considered their first language) possessed equivalent literacy skills in English (which is considered their second language). The study, however, also reveals that the bilingual children used more words when telling narratives in English than in Japanese. The study further indicates that the bilingual children tended to provide more referential details (i.e., specific events) in English, whereas in Japanese, the same narrators tended to emphasize evaluative descriptions (i.e., statements that tell the listener what to think about a person, place, thing, event, or more globally, the entire experience described in the narrative). Recognizing the close relationship between culture and language, the study implies that bilinguals access different cultural systems in their minds when telling the same story in two languages. (Contains 33 references.) (SM)

This study examined the efforts of parents and children of Japanese extraction in the San Francisco Bay Area to preserve bilingualism. First, an ethnographic study of the children was carried out at home and school. Second, interviews with the bilingual children's mothers were conducted. Finally, in order to measure each child's bilingual verbal ability, the Bilingual Verbal Ability Tests (BVAT) were administered. The ethnographic study revealed that teachers working with Japanese children are trying to create a student-centered program. Interviews with the mothers revealed that despite their efforts to preserve Japanese language skills, the children, if given the choice, prefer to speak English. It is suggested that efforts are needed to overcome the mismatch between home and school cultures and instead create a school environment where there is little conflict in the socialization process between the wider society, culture and language and the Japanese culture and language. (Contains 18 references.) (KFT)

This study explores two linguistically alternative options--English and Japanese--available to children from bilingual homes, some of which are immigrant families. To measure each child's bilingual verbal ability, the Bilingual Verbal Ability Tests (BVAT) were administered. Interviews with bilingual children's mothers were conducted. The results of the BVAT revealed that children's English vocabulary usage was highly correlated with their vocabulary usage in Japanese. Scores obtained in Japanese tasks, whether high or low, were mirrored in the scores of the corresponding English tasks. These results suggest that increasing language ability in either language used by bilingual children can accelerate their progress in the other language as well. Nonetheless, the study also revealed that children of Japanese parents performed better in English than in Japanese. Interviews with mothers and fathers revealed that children of Japanese heritage preferred speaking English over Japanese despite their mothers' concerted efforts to maintain Japanese. The implications of these findings hold significant meaning in terms of promoting bilingualism and biculturalism. Tables of data are appended. (Contains 26 references.) (KFT)

This study explores the relationship between English and Japanese in bilingual children. The Bilingual Verbal Ability Tests (BVATs) were administered to 40 children of Japanese heritage and their mothers residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. All the subjects were either enrolled in bilingual programs in public elementary schools or attending Japanese language courses on weekends. The tests were administered to measure the children's English language proficiency and bilingual verbal ability (verbal cognitive ability in English and Japanese combined), and to predict the children's academic progress. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. The study found that it is essential for bilingual children to raise the level of their first language ability to such an extent that their literacy skills in Japanese and English will be able to produce mutually accelerated progress effects. The study also revealed that Japanese was the dominant language for those parents who grew up in Japan, whereas English was dominant for many of their children. Specifically, bilingual children used Japanese mainly in interacting with their parents, while they tended to prefer speaking English in all other settings, such as at school and interacting with siblings. Overall, it was found that Japanese families demonstrate a successful case of balanced bilingualism. Unlike most other immigrant children, where over time English comes to displace the family's first language in children, families of Japanese heritage have been successful in promoting lasting bilingualism. (Contains 20 references.) (KFT)

Two lines of research are synthesized in this study: (1) structural aspects of children's narrative discourse and (2) the role of maternal styles of talking with young children. Personal narratives of 20 Japanese preschool children, aged 4 and 5 years, and their mothers were analyzed for developmental differences in the 2 age groups. Then conversations between the same children and their mothers were analyzed for differences in narrative elicitation in the two age groups. Maternal statements about or requests for information about actions during narrative elicitation were found to be negatively associated with children's statements about actions in their monologic narrative productions. However, positive correlations were found in two domains: quantity and variety of words used by mother and child in the interaction, and duration of elicited and monologic narratives. It is concluded that how mothers interact verbally with their young children reflects the children's developing narrative skills. Contains 41 references. (MSE)

Personal narratives of 20 middle-class Japanese preschoolers, half of them 4 years old and half 5 years old, and their mothers were analyzed using stanza analysis and high point analysis. The patterning in stanzas yielded the following: (1) with regard to the proportion of three-verse stanzas, there were no differences between the groups of 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, and adults (i.e., mothers); that is, the proportion of three-verse stanzas remains unstable across the three groups. (2) However, a smaller proposition of two-verse stanzas and, in contrast, a larger proportion of four- or more verse stanzas produced by 5-year-olds, indicated that they produce slightly longer stanzas than do 4-year-olds. (3) Furthermore, no difference was observed between 5-year-olds and adults in any types of stanzas. It was concluded that compared to 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds have begun to use the form of adult-like narratives. High point analysis indicated the following: (1) compared to adults, young children emphasized a temporal sequence of action with less emphasis on nonsequential information, especially orientation. (2) Although 4-year-olds gave proportionately less evaluation than adults, no differences were observed between 5-year-olds and adults. Therefore, compared to 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds have begun to evaluate in the form of adult-like narratives. The study illuminates the ages at which various narrative components develop and that from early childhood on, Japanese children learn the narrative mode of discourse valued by their mothers. (Author)

Reports on two studies of the similarities and differences in communicative style between Japanese- and English-speaking parents. Findings reveal that Japanese mothers pay considerable attention to their children's narratives and facilitate frequent turn exchanges, whereas English-speaking mothers allow their children to take long monologic turns and give many evaluative comments. (42 references) (Author/CK)