Classroom Discourse

An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: 

An Introduction to Discourse Analysis Does the spoken language have structure?

What happens in conversation?: 

What happens in conversation? L : I quite like the way they’ve done the Mile though + I think it’s quite – M : yes, yes L : the bottom of it anyway M : it is – it is quite good they’ve certainly kept within the + em ++ preserved it reasonably well or conserved it but we were up in Aberdeen this year for a holiday and we were staying right within the university complex there in old Aberdeen + and + oh some of the buildings there are beautiful really they really are nice + but er I was quite impressed with it – it’s the first holiday we’ve had up there L : I was noticing – I was down by Queen Street or + the bottom of Hanover Street or somewhere + and they’ve just cleaned up some of the buildings down there + and what a difference it makes + M : yes I know because there are some beautiful buildings L : oh it was really nice

Student Talk: 

Student Talk A : what did you do at the weekend? B : nothing special + we wanted to go to Venice but we didn’t ++ we stayed at home + and on Saturday evening I went to the cinema +++ and you ? A : I had to study because I have an exam on Friday + and the weather was bad so (continues)

Participant Rights: 

Participant Rights Brazil and Coulthard : research into teacher talk The teacher has more communicative rights than the students – can perform more communicative acts

Teacher Talk: 

Teacher Talk T : Right. Let’s leave that exercise and do a little bit of conversation. Can you look at this picture - Maria, what can you see ? S1 : I can see a panther, and I think it’s in a bathroom, and it’s got something round its neck. T : A chain. It’s got a chain round its neck. Fabio, what do we call the things on the wall in the bathroom? S2 : Tiles T : Yes tiles. Good. Would you like a panther for a pet, Anna? S3 : No, I don’t think so because it might be dangerous. T : Yes, and the neighbours might not be very happy. Have you got any pets Laura? S4 : Yes, a little dog. T : That’s nice. T : FRAME FOCUS DIRECT NOMINATE ELICIT S : REPLY T : INFORM NOMINATE ELICIT S; REPLY T: ACCEPT EVALUATE ELICIT NOMINATE S : REPLY T : COMMENT ELICIT S : REPLY T : COMMENT

Teacher Talk: 

Teacher Talk “the teacher knows what he or she wants to tell the class but chooses to do it by setting up situations in which they are steered- more or less successfully- into telling it themselves.” Brazil, D. 1995. Classroom and Spoken Discourse. Centre for English Language Studies. The University of Birmingham. (p.22).

The Structure of Classroom Discourse (Sinclair and Coulthard): 

The Structure of Classroom Discourse (Sinclair and Coulthard) EXCHANGES MOVES ACTS Direct INITIATION Nominate Elicit TEACHING EXCHANGE RESPONSE Reply Accept FOLLOW UP Comment Evaluate

Teacher Talk: 

Teacher Talk T : Tony. Question number nine. What do you think is in the tent? Picture three. P2 : There is a radio. T : Okay. There is a radio in the tent. Good. P1 : His lover. T : His lover is in the tent. Yes. Okay. His lover is in the tent. Good imagination. Uhh…Sleeping bag, mosquito, flies, pillow, radio…uh…gun. Many answers, of course. T : Good. Uhh…Number ten…number ten. Jinny. How many times have you been camping? P3 : I’ve been camping many times. I…I love to climbing mountain. T : Okay. I’ve been camping many times. I love to climb mountains. Good answer. Yes. I’ve been many camping many times. From : White, The Application of Sinclair and Coulthard’s IRF Structure to a Classroom Lesson http://www.cels.bham.ac.uk/resources/essays/AWhite4.pdf

Why don’t students sound natural ? : 

Why don’t students sound natural ? In traditional classrooms, don’t get practice in doing anything but replying. In non-traditional classrooms may feel uneasy at taking on what they feel to be an inappropriate role

Encouraging Natural Student Talk: 

Encouraging Natural Student Talk Look at the conversation below. Imagine that you are B. How could you interrupt B and make a comment or ask a question at the points marked + A : What did you do at the weekend? B : Nothing special. We wanted to go to Venice but in the end we didn’t + But Saturday evening I went to the cinema +

Encouraging Natural Student Talk: 

Encouraging Natural Student Talk Imagine you are A. What comment could you make at the points marked + to continue the conversation ? A : What did you do at the weekend? B : Not a lot. The weather was too bad. I spent Saturday cleaning the kitchen + and then on Sunday we slept most of the morning + and then I watched Casablanca on TV in the afternoon +