Pragmatic Development: Homework Task

Task: Write an entertaining piece building on what the baby might be thinking if she had full adult abilities. For example imagine what the adult thinks the baby intends is greatly from the truth. 

Original transcript:

Jess: Book.

Dad: Yes, it's your book. Do you like that one?

Jess: Book

Dad: You want me to read it?

Jess: Yes. Read

Dad: Come and sit here then. 'Oh look, here are some horses.' 

Jess: Horses

Dad: And who is this?

Jess: Dog

Dad: Yes a dog. A big brown dog. 

Jess: Shop

Dad: Shop?

Jess: Yea. Shop. Dog 

Dad: Oh yes, we saw Jim's dog in the shop.

Jess: Jim.

Dad: Is this like Jim's dog? 

Jess: Yes.

Dad: A bit. And what's this?

Jess: Baa

Dad: that's right - a sheep. It says baa. 

My adult abilities version: 

Anything in brackets is the information that I have added that Jess would be thinking if she had adult abilities.

Jess: Book. (Dad, read this book for me please, you said you would two days ago)

Dad: Yes, it's your book. Do you like that one?

Jess: Book (yes Dad, I know it's mine, it's old MacDonald had a farm, it's not yours is it? now can you just read it please) 

Dad: You want me to read it?

Jess: Yes. Read (No, just sit and point out what it is, of course I want you to read it)

Dad: Come and sit here then. 'Oh look, here are some horses.' 

Jess: Horses (yes it's a horse, they generally live on farms)

Dad: And who is this?

Jess: Dog (a dog, living on a farm, isn't that funny...)

Dad: Yes a dog. A big brown dog. 

Jess: Shop (can we go to the shop after this?)

Dad: Shop?

Jess: Yea. Shop. Dog (yeah dad, the shop with the dog) 

Dad: Oh yes, we saw Jim's dog in the shop.

Jess: Jim. (how many times, I want to go to Jim's shop, yes) 

Dad: Is this like Jim's dog? 

Jess: Yes.(Yes, now let's go see him)

Dad: A bit. And what's this?

Jess: Baa (what has a sheep got to do with the shop dad?)

Dad: that's right - a sheep. It says baa.