Edvin is part of a joint activity revolving around toys that also can be used individually. In the activity, a group of children is putting away toys (using the toys in a similar manner to one another) as a way to finish a play activity. Edvin expresses his understanding of what to do with this type of toy (individual use) by repeating his actions: picking up, moving and putting the block down, next to the others repeating theirs. With this type of toys, both activ- ities are possible. Occasionally, Edvin notices the others’ actions with the toys (which is possible when doing something with the toys as a group). Still, he can continue his way of using the toys in a different way from the others. The teacher scaffolds him to attend to another way of using the toys. She implicitly communicates that Edvin’s use of the toys is something different to the common idea of what to do with them. However, the verbal actions in English do not lead to Edvin changing his actions in the expected way. Instead Edvin expresses an attempt to co-ordinate his actions with the toy to the others’ actions, for example, by picking up blocks that nobody is holding like the others do.
The teacher verbally comments Edvin’s actions for the third time (2a). This time she not only asks him to do something with the block but she shows him what she wants him to do: she points at the spot where he is expected to place the block. Edvin does what he is asked to. His way of using the block shows how he interprets the teacher’s expectations. However, this seems to concern the specific block instead of the blocks in general. He repeats his actions by taking out another block (2b).
The teacher, for the fourth time, verbally comments Edvin’s actions (2b). This time she holds on to a block, points at the pile of blocks, and explains what she wants him to do with the blocks: I need that one. You put them in here. Let’s pack them away now. Edvin changes his focus and therefore his way of participating. He picks up another block lying in the pile and puts it on the shelf (2c). The teacher continues explicitly commenting Edvin’s way of using the blocks by saying, That’s it! Keep going! in a glad tone.
As illustrated above, the teacher saying what is expected of Edvin is not enough for him to coordinate his actions accordingly. At first the teacher asks Edvin to pack away the blocks. She uses a common metaphor in confirming the other children’s actions, That’s the way (1c). Later on, she holds on to a block, using deictic references (pointing) (2b), and extending the metaphor previously introduced (‘‘the way’’, 1c), Keep going (2c). The teacher uses a
variety of semiotic resources to communicate what is expected of Edvin and the other children, asking, telling, explaining, showing, holding, and pointing. There are thus many coordinated resources for the children to make sense of what is expected of them.