Language transmission opportunities created through video recording in the family: a microanalysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study examines a family language transmission project in which a child, learning Polish in Australia, created video documentaries with her own voice annotations in Polish. The project generated numerous parent-child interactions at the time of videorecording, a focus of the present study. The data in the study were seven voice-annotated video documentaries made by the focal child. The qualitative microanalysis of the data consisted of repeated viewings of the data in order to identify any patterns in the parent-child interactions, gather evidence of language learning by the child and describe the role of the camera as a mediating tool. A sociocultural theory-based set of concepts was adopted to guide the analysis, which revealed several themes in the data. Firstly, to bid for help from her parents, the child used a range of interactional strategies to which the parents responded using confirmations, prompts or providing language units. Secondly, the family project created an environment conducive to language learning by supporting the child’s agency and helping her perform above her current language proficiency level. Finally, the video camera played a crucial role as a tool enabling the child’s agency and creating opportunities for indicational language learning.