A Frame Analysis of Teacher Talk in Three Elementary EFL Classrooms

• Main Authors: Li-shueh Hung, 洪麗雪
• Other Authors: Teh-suan Liou
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/04844747302351540029

碩士 === 國立中正大學 === 外國文學所 === 94 === ABSTRACT A Frame Analysis of Teacher Talk in Three Elementary EFL Classrooms This study explores the footings of teacher talk by analyzing the talk of three Taiwanese EFL teachers in classroom interaction. The study approaches analysis from a frame perspective, and identifies the different footing patterns adopted by the teachers and examines the shifts of footing occurred while conducting their classes. Participants in this study are three primary school English teachers and their three classes. The data collected for this study are mainly based on classroom observations as well as the researcher’s field notes. Classroom observations were conducted over thirty 40-minute lessons, which were audio- and video-taped and transcribed verbatim. The primary focus is on the teacher talk types the teachers adopt as they manage the class, the function and characteristics of each teacher talk type, and evidence for the footing the teacher talk type is in. Analysis includes identifying the different types of teacher talk, categorizing the various types of teacher talk into ten footing patterns and generalizing the relationship among these footings. They are: (1) Learning task assignor, (2) Mediator, (3) Teaching material interpreter, (4) Unexpected events reactor, (5) Manager, (6) Evaluator, (7) Digressor, (8) Learning pace administrator, (9) Inspector, and (10) Classroom climate conductor. The findings reveal that the three teachers most frequently used five footings such as Mediator, Evaluator, Learning task assignor, Teaching material interpreter and Inspector. The analysis reveals that the teachers took several footings in the course of each class in the English teacher role. Due to the frequency and distribution of the footings and the various deployment of the ten footings, the three teachers seemed to have their own discourse structure and teaching styles. The researcher defines footings as the orientation or focus the teachers are displaying in relation to the instructional tasks or goals; in the context of the EFL class session, they display orientation to the teaching material matters and the interpersonal matters. This study closes with a coordinate figure with four quadrants of how the ten footings were integrated. The results indicate that the three teachers mostly adopted the authoritative footing while conducting their classes. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the footings employed by the teachers primarily served as a spotlight to direct students’ attention to the instructional task at that moment. The model allows the analyst to see differences between footings and varied teaching modes or styles among the three teachers. This study concludes that an understanding of the role of teacher talk in elementary EFL classroom interaction is essential and frame research on teacher talk in language classroom may contribute as follows: (1) it may serve as a basis of further research on classroom talk, (2) it may develop a more effective teaching mode in terms of teacher talk, and (3) it may be used as an important reference for teaching supervising, teacher self-monitoring and teacher education.