Susan U. Phillips “Participant Structures and Communicative Competence: Warm Springs children in community and classroom”

Teachers’ frustrations and complaints:

Indian students won’t speak up in class

Students mumble

Show and tell is a failure

Indian students misbehave: talk to other students

Indian students won’t accept leadership role

Teachers’ assumptions:

Teacher should be in charge of class

Students should obey: be silent, stay seated, answer questions

“Learning through public mistakes” is motivating

Need to assess individual’s progress

Child should find it rewarding to show off, have leadership role

Indian students’ assumptions:

No one has the right to give orders, especially not an outsider

People choose whether to speak

Demonstrate a skill after watch demonstrations and feel confident

It’s embarrassing to be singled out for attention