Discoursal Features of Classroom Interaction: Yesterday vs. Today's EFL Teachers

Hosein Masjedi, Seyyed Parsa Tabatabaei

Abstract


In the present research the Initiation-Response-Feedback model developed by Sinclair and Coulthard (1975) was used to study types of moves and exchanges in the initiation and feedback phase of experienced and novice instructors. Additionally this study tried to describe the difference between various types of teacher-student and student-student interaction brought about and affected by different moves and exchanges used by teachers in initiation and feedback phases. A sample of 10 male and female teachers, 5 with more than 6 years of experience and 5 with less than 2 years of experience were chosen from the teachers teaching in language schools. The language classes were observed and audio-recorded. Then observations were transcribed and coded using Sinclair and Coulthard's (1975) model. It was revealed that experienced teachers make use of different moves and exchanges more than novice teachers. Based on the results of the Chi-square tests, the performance of novice and experienced teachers was significantly (.000, .008<.05) different from each other in different boundary exchanges (framing moves and focusing move) and teaching exchanges (opening move, responding move, follow-up move) of the initiation and feedback phases.


Keywords


Sinclair and Coulthard's (1975) IRF model, Experienced EFL teachers, Novice EFL teachers

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References


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