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Using attitude analysis to explore focused conversations for professional learning and development in early childhood
Citation
Nailon, DL and Thomas, DP and Emery, SG and Stephenson, EA, Using attitude analysis to explore focused conversations for professional learning and development in early childhood, Linguistics and language education in new horizons: The link between theory, research and pedagogy, Nova Science Publishers, S Fan, T Le & Q Le (ed), New York, pp. 43-59. ISBN 978-1-63482-800-0 (2015) [Research Book Chapter]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2015 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Official URL: https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_inf...
Abstract
Since the introduction of a national early childhood curriculum guide in 2009, the
early childhood sector in Australia has seen a significant increase in the provision of
professional learning and development to raise the educative capacity of its workforce.
This chapter examines an interactive approach to professional learning and development
called focused conversations. Focused conversations are designed to facilitate content
learning about topics of interest and generate inquiry into professional practice. In a
recent study, focused conversations were used to facilitate a professional development
program with a team of field coordinators in a family day care service. The coordination
team members responded to questions spanning the four levels of focused conversation
(Stanfield, 2000). Questions were designed to ascertain the facts about the problem/issue
(the objective level), understand the emotional aspects associated with the issue
(reflective level), consider the significance or implications related to the issue
(interpretive level) and finally decide on a course of action to examine and address the
issue with home-based educators (the decisional level). The attitude system from
Systemic functional linguistics was used to analyse the conversation, showing that
coordination team members moved from negative discussions about the topic to a more positive systems oriented approach to solving issues. Outcomes from the study
consolidate the value of focused conversations within communities of practice.
Implications for the use of Systemic functional linguistics to respond to interactive and
transformative language oriented approaches to professional learning and development
are proposed.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Research Book Chapter |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | professional learning, focused conversation, systemic functional linguistics, appraisal |
| Research Division: | Education |
| Research Group: | Curriculum and Pedagogy |
| Research Field: | English and Literacy Curriculum and Pedagogy (excl. LOTE, ESL and TESOL) |
| Objective Division: | Education and Training |
| Objective Group: | Teaching and Instruction |
| Objective Field: | Pedagogy |
| Author: | Nailon, DL (Ms Di Nailon) |
| Author: | Thomas, DP (Dr Damon Thomas) |
| Author: | Emery, SG (Ms Sherridan Emery) |
| Author: | Stephenson, EA (Mrs Elspeth Stephenson) |
| ID Code: | 102615 |
| Year Published: | 2015 |
| Deposited By: | Education |
| Deposited On: | 2015-09-01 |
| Last Modified: | 2017-11-10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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