The nature and development of children's conversation skills has attracted
considerable attention in recent research. By the time they reach school age,
children have acquired a basic ability to converse, involving the integration
of various cognitive, social and linguistic skills. Some examples of these
skills and of conversational disabilities are outlined. As conversation is an
interactional activity, it is appropriate to focus on the interactional contexts
of children's conversational activity. The nature of talk in classrooms and
clinical settings is considered in this respect.
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MacLure, M. forthcoming: Making sense of children's talk. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.
