Engaging in narratives is an important aspect of young children's development and should be encouraged by the preschool, since it involves communication, playfulness, socialization, and the construction of identity. This study investigates the context of and the conversational exchanges in children's construction of narratives during routine activities in a preschool class. Fourteen five- to six-year-old children and their educators participated in the study, using an ethnographic design to code narratives and their contexts of production. The results showed that children narrated mainly during informal moments, and less in the speaking opportunities elicited and supported by the teacher. The results suggest the need to listen more to the children and to stimulate more conversation among peers, in order to promote different narrative genres and styles during all moments of the school day.
Language and development; Children's narratives; Preschool education
