Abstract

This research sought to investigate the age at which children develop metalinguistic awareness of grammaticality, which gives them the skills to recognize, identify, and correct a variety of grammatical errors found in children's literature. In order to examine the acquisition of this skill, students in kindergarten, first, second, and third grades were asked to listen to sentences from Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal (Park, 1997). After each sentence, the children were asked whether or not the sentence was grammatical or ungrammatical. They were also asked to identify and correct errors, all of which require varying degrees of metalinguistic awareness of grammaticality. Results of the study demonstrated that as children developmentally progress, they acquire and strengthen metalinguistic awareness abilities. Additionally, none of the kindergarteners, first graders, second graders, or third graders were able to fully correct comparative and superlative, irregular verb, or adverb errors.

Advisor

Furey, Joan

Second Advisor

Wereley, Megan

Department

Communication Studies

Disciplines

Developmental Psychology | Other Education

Keywords

metalinguistic awareness, grammar, children, acquisition, children’s literature

Publication Date

2014

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2014 Eve Boonin