Examining the Complex Syntax of Second-Grade Teachers

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the complex syntax in second-grade teachers’ classroom talk and explore the relation of teachers’ complex syntax to (1) vocabulary, (2) classroom socioeconomic status, and (3) academic subject area. Methods: The transcripts from 15 second-grade teachers were analyzed from an extant database of teacher talk (Wanzek et al., 2021). For each teacher, two transcripts from the fall and the spring (n = 4) for English language arts (ELA) and one transcript from the fall and the spring (n = 2) for math were randomly selected. The transcripts were coded for complex syntax following Schuele (2009). Complex syntax was measured by the proportion of complex syntax in total utterances, complex syntax density, and proportion of complex syntax types. Vocabulary was measured by complex syntax specific word types and academic vocabulary. Classroom socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by the percent of children receiving free and reduced lunch. Results: Teachers had similar proportion and density of complex syntax in ELA and math. The mean proportion of complex syntax in total utterances was 0.27. Neither teacher academic vocabulary nor classroom SES correlated with teachers’ proportion of complex syntax in total utterances or complex syntax density. However, complex syntax specific word types significantly correlated with proportion of complex syntax in total utterances. Teachers had a higher proportion of infinitival clauses in math compared to ELA and a higher proportion of relative clauses in ELA compared to math. Conclusion: Study findings provide a picture of second-grade teachers’ complex syntax input that may be important to children’s language development in early elementary school, particularly for children with linguistic vulnerabilities.