ABSTRACT
This chapter talks about gaze aversion to refer to the act of looking away from a co-participant and considers two types of instances: as a child averts gaze, or sustains gaze averted. Some multimodal interaction studies have shown that gaze aversion can become problematic when a recipient addressed fails to respond. The chapter aims to show why in some sequential environments gaze aversion is treated as a major concern, and in some cases only a minor concern – if a concern at all. It identifies the particular interactional junctures where a child's gaze aversion with the teacher becomes problematic. Comparative data with neurotypical participants will help to discuss why gaze aversion can be sometimes, but not always, treated as problematic. The interactions involving Anna and Katja Dindar show fragments where Katja has initiated a sequence of interaction. Finally, the fragment involving Liisa and Paula shows how Liisa has her gaze averted while Paula initiates interaction with her.
