Children's discourse during peer learning in experimental and naturalistic situations

Two complementary studies are reported concerning the characteristics of peer communication styles as children help one another learn. In the experimental study, 64 pairs of children (kindergarten and grade 2) were videotaped while working at a balance scale problem, either cooperatively or by one teaching another. Aspects of discourse associated with effectiveness were identified. In the naturalistic study, 22 second‐graders were audiorecorded during classroom peer learning. Patterns of didactic, learner‐initiated, and collaborative interactions were analyzed by form, function, and frequency. Among the qualities of interaction significant in peer learning were the negotiation of teaching and collaborative roles, attention‐focusing, showing and pointing, and informative messages.