NOTATIONAL ADAPTATION IN CHILDREN

The present study examined whether and how children adapt their notati ons to the communicative needs of addressees of different ages in thre e experiments. In Experiment 1, children of 8-9 and 10-11 years and ad ults made two notations about a solution to a simple board puzzle, one for a peer and the other for a six-year-old. Experiment 2 focussed on oral adaptations in the same context. In Experiment 3, participants w ere asked to choose ready-made notations for different addressees. Res ults revealed that children's notations at both age groups were overal l informative and adequate and improved with age. Children's notations , however, were not as sophisticated as verbal instructions, possibly due to the participants' more extensive experience with oral communica tion. Children's notational adaptation also developed with age. Some 8 -9-year-olds and many 10-11-year-olds made systematic changes in their notations and verbal instructions for addressees of different ages. M ost children of both age groups were well aware of the difference in c ommunicative competence between the younger addressee and the peer. Th ey also shared with adults certain assumptions regarding the communica tive needs of the younger addressee, and understood how to make their notations appropriate for the addressee. Major factors that affect chi ldren's communicative adaptations are discussed.