The power of language used in class

• Main Author: Mitrović Milica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pedagoško društvo Srbije i Institut za pedagogiju i andragogiju Filozofskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu 2015-01-01
• Series: Nastava i Vaspitanje
• Subjects: language used in class; the relation between language and education; learning through language; the analysis of the lesson language
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0547-3330/2015/0547-33301503421M.pdf

This article deals with the analysis of the language used in class by: (1) indicating the relevance of this type of analysis in the context of current research questions about the relations between language and education, (2) the analysis of the selected school classes and (3) by presenting methodological characteristics and possible research achievements of this form of analysis. Class language is here seen as one of school languages, and an item for the analysis of teaching and authentic evaluative information about education. Our research comprised the analyses of six classes in Belgrade elementary schools. The aim of the research was to identify and describe the language of the selected classes and to analyse the obtained information in the view of furthering language learning and learning by the use of language. Selected were three lessons in the first and three in the final classes, and planned so that pupils could be the main speakers (lesson repetition and elaboration). The analyses of the teaching contents were done, and the results showed that, compared to pupils, teachers do a major part of talking, that pupils usually give one word or short answers, that they communicate within uniform speech models and have no opportunity to develop a sense of ownership of the language of the lesson which is a precondition for further language learning and using language for school learning. The results also indicate certain contradictions in the identified language practice, which we deem important for further systematic research of language use and learning in our schools.