Effect of style-switching on social formation of children's congnition and relation with others

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In this study, 6 groups of 5-6 fouth graders each with their home room teacher were observed during discussion on everyday matter, such as 'sweeping at school'. And in addition, they all were asked to fill out questionare on naturality of speech-style-switching.In observation, all groups were devided into 3 different sessions two each, according to speech-style required to the teacher, namely, Control Session, Formal (Careful Usage) Session, and Informal (Relaxd or Uninhibited Usage) Session. Comparison among these 3 different sessions shows : In Control Session, the teacher used formal style when he proposed the task, when he tried to lead the session to a consensus. He used informal style, on the other hand, when he tried to let children give out their opinions freely. Children also switched their speech style along with that of the teachers's. In Formal Session, the discussion proceeded like a conference with the teacher as a chair. Children gave out rather small numbers of spontaneous opinions, and mostly used formal style. Informal Session proceeded with a lot of spontaneous opinions by children in mostly informal style, which led frequently to comments of others. The session was lively but not so much organaized.Result of the questionare shows that children are so sensitive with style-switching that they regulate their own speech-style, and that they borrow and use customarily used expressions (ventriloquation of social language) according to the situational demand. In all, this study suggests that children are sensitive with speech-style-switching in social interaction, where they share demands and meaning of the situation through dialogue/ventriloquation with others/themselves (dialogicality) mediated by social language. That is, social formation of congnition and relation with others is revealed.