How Do 9–10-Year-Olds Conceptualise, Engage in, and Navigate Banter Within Primary Education? A Figurational Analysis

Abstract

Despite growing research concerning banter in educational settings, this article is the first to examine how primary-school aged children conceptualise, engage in, and navigate banter in England. This focus is important given this impressionable phase of childhood development and teachers and policymakers concerns regarding possible links between banter and bullying. Key findings from eight focus groups with 32 children (aged 9–10 years) are thematically analysed using theoretical concepts of individual civilising process, habitus, and figuration. Whilst being able to differentiate ‘good’ from ‘bad’ banter, pupils conceptualised banter in a prosocial manner, reported regularly engaging in banter for enjoyment and social bonding purposes. Furthermore, pupils navigated banter by appraising content, relationships between those involved, and how comments were received. The figurational dynamics within the school day meant that banter most often took place within breaktimes, whereby pupils mostly engaged with like-minded same-sex peers. To differentiate good from bad banter and navigate such banter, pupils had to exhibit relatively sophisticated cognitive, emotional, and social intelligence. To substantiate and develop our findings, ethnographic research is needed to gather observations of pupils' (and possibly teachers') engagement in banter and the extent that banter is self-regulated and/or socially constrained by peers and teachers.