The discourse performance of native Indian students : a case study with implications for academic instruction

• Main Author: Anderson, Starla H.
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 1987
• Subjects: Discourse analysis; Language and languages > Study and teaching > Social aspects; First Nations > Education > Secondary > Case studies; First Nations > Urban students > British Columbia > Vancouver; First Nations > Students > Underachievement; First Nations > Discourse analysis; Indian; First Nations
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/27656

This investigation is concerned with the oral and written discourse performance of underachieving urban Native Indian secondary students. Primary data was collected during eight interactive talk-write sessions conducted individually with eight case study subjects. Within an ABAB design, two narrative and two academic topics were alternated. Oral discourse performance followed written discourse performance during each of the two (composing and revision) sessions conducted for each topic. Supplementary data includes: observations of classroom writing behaviors, interviews, analysis of students' record files, and standardized reading and writing assessments. The four male and four female subjects are from varying Native Indian cultural backgrounds but share common histories of family instability. Only one subject could read and write at skill levels expected of like-aged mainstream students. The writing processes and products of these subjects were similar to those of other unskilled (Basic) writers. They were overly concerned with surface errors and little concerned with overall conceptualization. Despite difficulties with writing, and contrary to established language theory developed from research with non-Native populations, these subjects were more at ease with written performance than oral performance. Further, their writing difficulties appeared to be more related to the demands of academic discourse than writing skills per se. They were more at ease with written narrative than any other combination of mode and genre. While previous research has seldom distinguished clearly between mode and genre of discourse, the findings of this investigation suggest that each of these factors may have differing effects for individuals and varying sub-groups. Findings also suggest that structural comparisons of oral and written modes of discourse may reflect differing linguistic demands of genre as much as mode. The interactive talk-write sessions were found to be an effective means for data collection. These sessions also revealed direction for improving methods of academic instruction. The subjects appeared to develop a better understanding of the purpose of academic discourse as they were helped to generate knowledge, theorize about this knowledge and shape their arguments. All subjects indicated that they would feel more confident about participating in academic discussions after thinking about the discussion topic through such a talk-write process. Education, Faculty of Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of Graduate