The child as a communicative strategist
Thao Lê | Tasmanian State Institute of Technology
It is argued that the concept of communicative competence includes ‘strategies’ or ‘tactics’ where language is used in interactions in order to achieve desired outcomes for participants. This study examines different types of communicative strategies employed by adults and children in negotiating what is ‘acceptable behaviour’ or ‘rules of conduct’ for children. The influence of social and cognitive development of children on the forms of communicative strategies available to them is treated as central.