Language socialisation and the construction of socio-moral meanings

Journal/Book: J Moral Educ. 2000; 29: Rankine Rd, Basingstoke Rg24 8Pr, Hants, England. Carfax Publishing. 149-166.

Abstract: Although researchers working from the cognitive-developmental and domain perspective have contributed significantly in presenting insights on children's moral Knowledge, specific questions about how caregivers' language-based input facilitates their children's understanding of moral knowledge have not been examined. This article explores how language-based socialisation patterns play an important role in care-givers' and children's construction of socio-moral meanings. I argue that it is through participation in communicative and narrative practices that children begin to understand cultural meanings about morality. By drawing on theories and research conducted in the field of language socialisation, I demonstrate the mutual interdependence between the construction of moral meanings and communicative practices. Examples that demonstrate the various ways in which communicative practices provide the foundation for the co-creation of moral meanings between Hindi-speaking Indian caregivers and their children are discussed.

Note: Article Bhatia S, Connecticut Coll, Dept Human Dev, 270 Mohegan Ave, Box 5474, New London,CT 06320 USA

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