Story Grammar Analysis of Pre-schoolers' Narratives: An Investigation into the Influence of Task Parameters

Abstract

This study aimed at examining the influences of the parameters of the narrative task (administered to the pre-schooler) on narrative structure. Seventeen pre-school children were selected as subjects. Five narrative tasks were administered to each subject. The narratives were analysed for length and structure. Mainly two factors were found to influence the length and structure of the produced narratives; firstly, the presence or absence of a 'model' on which the child could base his/her narrative, and, secondly, the structure inherent in this 'model'. The implications of the study for clinical assessment of narrative skills as well as for further research are considered.