Become a Better Facilitator: Investigate Your Teacher Talk
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Transcript of Become a Better Facilitator: Investigate Your Teacher Talk
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Become a Better Facilitator: Investigate
Your Teacher Talk
Amy McCarthySFSU M.A. TESOL Conference
December 2, 2011
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Do Your Classroom Discussions Ever Look Like This?
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Would You Prefer Them to Look Like This?
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Introduction: Project and Motivation Low-intermediate non-credit class at
Canal Alliance Wanted to expand learner participation
More learners involved Responses to each other
Investigated my teacher talk during class discussions Audiotaped & transcribed
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Presentation Overview
Background My Project Findings Future Directions Implications/Suggestions Practical Tips
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Background: What is Value of Teacher Talk in Discussion? Sociocultural Perspective: Learning as social
& collaborative (Antón, 1999; Foster & Ohta, 2005) Teacher-learner interaction is model (Antón, 1999; Lee & Ng, 2010) Scaffolding; e.g., vocabulary (Ko et al., 2003) Building of classroom rapport (Byrne, 1987; Nyugen, 2007)
Teacher-fronted and learner-centered not mutually exclusive (Antón, 1999; Jacknick, 2009)
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Background: What Kind of Teacher Talk?
Teacher in role of facilitator Facilitative talk: How do we define?
Harder to define because less formulaic (Clifton, 2006)
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Background: How to Study Teacher Talk?
Varied Approaches Focus on specific features; e.g., questions Use of quantitative ratios (Reinders et al. 2003; Wei,
2008) Conversation Analysis: Qualitative -- teacher
talk as part of jointly-constructed interaction Context specific
Teacher investigation (Thornbury, 1996; Walsh, 2003) Recording of interaction:
“mirror-like ‘objective’ view of what goes on in class”
(Schratz, 1992 as cited in Richards & Lockhart, 1994)
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My Project: Context Low intermediate non-credited
integrated skills class at
Open enrollment: 14-20 Ss per night From Latin America: Mexico, Guatemala, & El Salvador
Whole-class pre-reading discussions: activating prior knowledge, predicting
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My Project: Research Questions What are existing patterns in teacher
talk during class discussions? How does my teacher talk affect learner
participation? What happens if I modify teacher talk? Intentionally broad
“One can discover no more .. than one’s method of inquiry permits” (Heap, 1982, as cited in Lee, 2007)
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My Project: Action Research Approach
“Self-reflective, critical, and systematic approach to your own teaching context”
(Burns, 2010)
Reflective Intervention: From thinking to doing
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Three Cycles: 12 weeks Action and Observation
Audiotaped & transcribed interaction Reflection
Analyzed data & identified patterns Kept Reflective Teaching Journal Identified modifications to teacher talk
Further Action and Observation Gradually introduced modifications in talk Audiotaped & transcribed again
My Project: Action Research Process
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My Project: Method of Analysis Initial quantitative analysis Tally of features
e.g., clarification requests
Little insight into how teacher talk affectedparticipation
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My Project: Method of Analysis Switched to primarily qualitative
analysis
Insights from Conversation Analysis Intimidating: terminology &
transcription protocols Interaction as jointly constructed How does teacher talk create or block
participation? Turn-Taking Patterns: e.g., teacher-learner-
teacher Learner Initiation Contingency
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Findings: Example – Turn-Taking Patterns
Please look at Excerpt 1 (blue handout) What do you notice about turn-taking
pattern? Does the teacher follow up after learner
turn?
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Findings: Turn-Taking Patterns First Taping: somewhat rigid turn-taking
Learner turns bracketed by T turns T follow-up move somewhat automatic Minimal wait time after learner response
(Garton, 2002)
My teacher talk blocking participation
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Findings: Turn-Taking Patterns Identified modifications to teacher talk
Conscious about allowing wait time after learner response: time for others to respond
Conscious about making my follow-up move optional
Second Taping: more flexible turn-taking Learners respond directly to each other More learners participating
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Findings: Example – Learner Initiation & Contingency
Learner initiation Beyond direct response to my Q Building on topic or bringing up related sub-
topic (Adapted from Garton, 2002)
Contingency “quality of interaction where the design of
each turn is thoroughly dependent upon and reponsive to its prior turn” (Wong & Waring, 2010)
Please look at Excerpt 3 (blue handout)
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Findings: Learner Initiation & Contingency
First Taping: Took up learner initiative about ½ the time Lack of contingency Following own agenda
My teacher talk not supporting participation
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Findings: Learner Initiation & Contingency
Identified modifications to teacher talk Conscious about learner initiation Conscious about making my comments
contingent Keep in mind pedagogical goals: not too
tangential
Second Taping: More space for initiation and contingency Learner initiative taken up Not just T, other learners responding More learners participating
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Future Directions
Focus on preparing students to participate Raising awareness Providing language and practice (Maeda, 2010; Sarosy & Sherak, 2002)
Continued focus on wait time after learner response
Follow Action Research approach again
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Implications / Suggestions Biggest benefit: More awareness of
interaction patterns (Thornbury, 1996; Walsh, 2003, 2006)
Investigate your teacher talk: understand & modify practice to be better facilitator
Action Research: take reflective teaching to new level
Useful insights from Conversation Analysis
Gradual process: like learning language
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Practical Tips Transcription very valuable, but be
strategic Saw patterns that weren’t obvious upon
listening Transcribe at least two discussion segments Time consuming: later on, listen only
Introduce changes in teacher talk gradually Allow time between tapings
Discuss with others Don’t be too hard on yourself!
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Many Thanks! M.A. TESOL Professors & 891
Classmates
Advisors: Dr. Abeywickrama & Dr. Olsher
April Shandor
My wonderful students at Canal Alliance
My family
My cats, who sat by my computer while I worked on this project