Classroom Discourse Analysis

Introduction

             The objective of this paper is to investigate and illustrates a teacher’s follow up moves. These particular moves are the ones that form the third party of a chain of Initiated –Respond-Follow-up (I-R-F) of which are exchanges that occur between the teacher and students. The paper will concentrate much on the role that F-move plays in a classroom discourse. The paper focuses on an outlined discourse followed that a teacher uses with the intention of building engaging students in classroom contribution that assists in developing a meaning dialogue.

 

I-R-F exchange structure

            I-R-F exchange structure is one of the established practice that assists in socialization between teachers and students and their students in the classrooms (Ho, 2007). The relationship created by the application of I-R=F exchange structure tends to be of significance importance as it creates harmony between teachers and students in the classroom (Ho, 2007). According to Davison, Moss & Daly, (2011), the structure contains three significant moves. One of the moves is initiation (I). This particular move is usually in the form of a question presented by the teacher (Davison, Moss & Daly, 2011). The other move is referred to as the response move (R). This move is usually the manner in which students attempt to answer a particular presented question (Davison, Moss & Daly, 2011). The other move is referred to as the follow-up move (F). This move entails the manner in which a teacher offers some form of feedback to the students (Davison, Moss & Daly, 2011). The F move consist of two main roles, which are the evaluative and discoursal. Ho (2007) indicates that the teacher always have an exclusive control of the over the I and F moves while the students tend to be restricted to the R move.

3. Evaluative-F-move

Extract 1

1. T: Today I have some pictures to show you. Now, you have to look at these (I)

2. T: pictures first, and then you will have a game to do. [Shows picture] (I)

3. T: Do you remember who is he? (I)

4. P: Santa. (R)

5. T: Santa! Good. He is Santa…Santa Claus this is, Santa Claus. (F)

6. T: Okay. [Shows picture] What about this? What is it? (I)

7. P: Sleigh. (R)

8. T: This is a sleigh. This is a sleigh. Good…Yes … Sleigh. (F)

9. P: Sleigh. (R)

         The above information demonstrates a perfect interaction between the teacher and students. In the above example, the teacher asks students about the question in some of the pictures. The teacher’s F move depicts to have a primarily evaluative function. This is because the move gives a feedback to the students. The feedback given in this case is about whether the response by Santa was acceptable or not. According to the information illustrated in line 5, the teacher takes an extra move of appreciating the student and confirming that the answer is correct. The same case applies in line 6 where the teacher asks a direct question to the students. In line 8 the teacher manages to make an F move of which still depicts a primarily evaluative function. Lines 7 and 8, which consists of the student’s answer indicates that during I-R-F exchange structure, students try all what they can to provide the information that the teacher expects them to know (Candlin & Mercer, 2001).

4. Discoursal F-move

Extract 2

1. T: Okay, sh [Shows picture] okay. Look at this picture. Who is the man in (I)

2. T: red suit? Who is the man in red suit? (I)

3. P: Santa. (R)

4. T: The man in… (I)

5. P: Ar…Santa Claus. (R)

6. T: Yes he is Santa Claus. So, [points to the picture] what about these people?... (F+I)

7. T: They are Santa Claus… (F+I)

8. P: Friends (R)

9. T: Friends, yes, good, So, Santa Claus has, a lot of… (F+I)

10. P: Friends. (R)

11. T: Friends, good. He has a lot of friends. Do you have a lot of friends?...Do you (F+I)

12. T: have a lot of friends? (F+I)

13. P: Yes (R)

          The above information gives a good example of how a teacher manages to provide opportunities for student-initiated discourse. The extract is much more conversational in nature and gives the students an opportunity to create a strong relationship with their teacher (Ellis, 2011). The teacher opens the conversation by asking a question as indicated on line 1 and 2. The teacher offers a discourse move to the student as illustrated in line 6 and 7. On these two lines, the teacher encourages the student to get a better understanding of the answer by giving them another question similar to the first one. The resulting discourse indicated in line 9 is somehow different from the other one. On this case, the teacher appreciates the answer on line 7 by a different student and creates a conversation form the answer. The significance of employing discoursal F move as demonstrated in the above extract is that it offers an opportunity for other students to participate in the lesson and provide their opinions (Ellis, 2011).

          Extract 3

1. T: Okay. [Shows picture] Charlie has a little sister. What is her name? (I)

2. P: Cherry. (R)

3. T: Cherry. Good. This is Cherry. By the way, do you know how, do you remember (F+I)

4. T: how to spell ‘Cherry’? (F+I)

5. P: C H E R R Y. (R)

         The above information demonstrates another discourse move that illustrates teacher-centered classroom talk (Ellis, 2011). The teacher makes an initiation by asking students a question as indicated on line 1. The answer made by the student helps the teacher to make a discoursal Fmove , “Cherry. Good. This is Cherry”. On this particular case, the follow up-move is followed by an initiation, “By the way, do you know how, do you remember” that helps to create emphasize. The teacher provides a more significant discoursal F move in line 4, “how to spell ‘Cherry’?” by testing the spelling knowhow and ability of the students. The students makes a perfect response in line 5, “C H E R R Y” where they clear demonstrate that they understand what the teacher is asking for. The above extract demonstrates that discoursal F move is of significant importance in help students get a better understanding of the English language and build social construction of experience (Christie, 2005).

 

Conclusion

           The above information clearly demonstrates how the I-R-F exchange structure functions in classrooms. There are several examples outlined in the above information showing how the F move (follow-up move) operates through its two main roles, which are evaluative and discoursal. The move assists in making students understand the subject and creates a strong relationship with their teacher.

Pedagogical Implication

            The application of pedagogical implication is of significance importance in providing effective classroom talks in English teaching (Davison, Moss & Daly, 2011). The use of I-R-F exchange structure helps teachers to break-up the limitations that emerge in the recitation of various scripts (Davison, Moss & Daly, 2011). This is made possible through a high order of questioning and feedback strategies. Through pedagogical implication, students are able to learn from their intra-mental activities and experience.

           Pedagogical implication helps teachers in building and constructing knowledge on the students. This fact can be supported by the above examples that show application of I-R-F exchange structure. Moreover, Pedagogical implication gives teachers an opportunity to interact with students and encourage them to provide their opinions in classroom lessons. This made possible where teachers have the opportunity of asking questions that have more than one possible answer (Ellis, 2011).

References

Candlin, C & Mercer, C. (2001). English language teaching in its social context: a reader. London: Routledge.

Christie, F. (2005). Classroom discourse analysis: A functional perspective. London: Continuum.

Davison, J., Moss, J. & Daly, C. (2011). Debates in English Teaching. New York: Taylor & Francis.

Ellis, R. (2011). Language teaching research and language pedagogy. Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Ho, D. G. E. (2007). Classroom talk: Exploring the sociocultural structure of formal ESL learning. Bern: Peter Lang.