ABSTRACT

In this final chapter, I return to the controversy surrounding thinkalouds with which the book began. Swain (2006b) sums up the controversy over verbal reports, writing: “What do verbal protocols represent? . . . [Are they] brain dumps . . . or are they part of what constitutes development and learning?” (p. 97). Until now, the response to Swain’s question has largely been answered anecdotally, albeit differently, based on the theoretical perspective of the researcher providing the response.