The aim of the project LekBot (Ljunglöf, P. et al. 2011) was to develop a robot to support children with severe disabilities (communicative, cognitive, physical) in play with peers that follow a typical pattern of development. Since children with disabilities have few opportunities to play independently of an adult assistant and on equal terms with other children, and more often take a passive role in interaction with more advanced children (Siperstein et al. 1997; Hestenes & Carroll 2000), we developed a speaking robot, the LekBot.
Two groups of children, at two different pre-schools were video recorded during play, in all 2x12 play sessions. In each group there was one child with cerebral palsy and one peer, as well as a teacher assistant. A previous study (Ferm et al. 2015) focused on the children’s experience of play in this situation. The children with disabilities took an active role in some cases and there was collaboration between the children as well as enjoyment of play. But there were also times when one of the children lost interest in the play.
The present study focuses on the adult’s actions during the play sessions. We will discuss the impact of the actions of the teacher assistant and the researchers during children’s play with the robot. In our talk we will present two examples. The first shows how the researcher intervenes when the children don’t take equal turns in commanding the robot. In the second, where the peer obviously lost interest in the play, we discuss how the assistant works hard in trying to involve the child in active play again. The analytic method is CA-inspired sequential analysis of transcribed video recordings.
The researchers and assistants in the recorded play situations seemed all to be aware of the goal of the project, i.e. to help a child with disabilities to play more actively together with peers. The idea of taking turns was also emphasized by the adults during the children's play. The results show how different linguistic channels are used (speech, signs, gesture and gaze, as well as symbol charts) when adults target the children’s turn-taking, request that they should talk and listen to each other and cooperate in playing together.
2015. p. 590-590
The 14th International Pragmatics Conference, Antwerp, Belgium, 26-31 July 2015