Private speech

Children from two to about seven years old can be observed engaging in private speech -- speech spoken to oneself for communication, self-guidance, and self-regulation of behavior (Manning, 1991 [Manning, B. H. (1991). Cognitive self-instruction for classroom processes. Albany,NY: State University of New York Press.] ; Vygotsky, 1934/1986 [Vygotsky, L. S. (1986). Thought and language (A. Kozulin, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. (Original work published 1934)] ; Winsler et al., 1997 [Winsler, A., Diaz, R. M., & Montero, I. (1997). The role of private speech in the transition from collaborative to independent task performance in young children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 12, 59-79.] ). Although it is audible, it is neither intended for nor directed at others (Manning, 1991; Piaget, 1959 [Piaget, J. (1959). The language and thought of the child. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.] ; White & Manning, 1994 [White, C. S., & Manning, B. H. (1994). The effects of verbal scaffolding instruction on young children's private speech and problem- solving capabilities. Instructional Science, 22, 39-59.] ). Private speech, although first studied by Vygotsky (1934/1986)and Piaget (1959), has received attention from researchers only in the past 30 years (Deniz, 2001a [Deniz, C. B. (2001a, April). History of research methods in private speech. Session presented at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement and Evaluation, Seattle, WA.] ). During this time period, researchers have noted a positive correlation between children's use of private speech and their task performance and achievement (Azmitia, 1992 [Azmitia, M. (1992). Expertise, private speech, and self-regulation. In R. M. Diaz & L. E. Berk (Eds.), Private speech: From social interaction to self-regulation (pp. 101-122). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.] ; Bivens & Berk, 1990 [Bivens, J. A., & Berk, L. E. (1990). A longitudinal study of the development of elementary school children's private speech. Merrill Palmer Quarterly, 36, 443-463.] ; Lee, 1999 [Lee, J. (1999). The effects of 5-year-old preschoolers' use of private speech on performance and attention for two kinds of problem solving tasks. DissertationAbstracts International, 60, 06A. (UMI No. AAG99-32671)] ). Interestingly, it is at the time when children begin school that their use of private speech decreases and "goes underground" (Azmitia, 1992; Bivens & Berk, 1990; Kohlberg, Yaeger, & Hjertholm, 1968 [Kohlberg, L., Yaeger, J., & Hiertholm, E. (1968). Private speech: Four studies and a review of theories. Child Development, 39, 691-736.] ; Winsler et al., 1997).

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