ABSTRACT
After setting a theoretical basis for the study and considering the general nature of language as a social tool for meaning-making, this chapter explains the functions of the language the children in the study use as they co-construct meaning from text. The chapter focuses on the role of speech moves in generating and maintaining discussion and how, while these might be typified by particular language indicators, their importance lies in their function rather than the exact words used. It analyzes the 'paradigmatic dimension' of dialogue, or rather the choices speakers have as to the type of response they make, and how that might affect the language they use. Many writers have specifically defined modes of talk that are apparent in educational contexts. To generate a coding schedule for the co-constructive dialogue and to illustrate when speech turns were serving a co-constructive purpose, the children's talk in the vignettes was analyzed using a 'constant comparative method'.
