Exploring teachers’ and learners’ overlapped turns in the language classroom: Implications for classroom interactional competence

Abstract

The language choices that teachers make in the language classroom have been found to influence the opportunities for learning given to learners (Seedhouse, 2004; Walsh, 2012; Waring, 2009, 2011). The present study expands on research addressing learner-initiated contributions (Garton, 2012; Jacknick, 2011; Waring, Reddington, & Tadic, 2016; Yataganbaba & Yıldırım, 2016) by demonstrating that opportunities for participation and learning can be promoted when teachers allow learners to expand and finish their overlapped turns. Audio recordings of lessons portraying language classroom interaction from three teachers in an adult foreign language classroom (EFL) setting were analyzed and discussed through conversation analysis (CA) methodology. Findings suggest that when teachers are able to navigate overlapping talk in such a way that provides interactional space for learners to complete their contributions, they demonstrate classroom interactional competence (Sert, 2015; Walsh, 2006). The present study contributes to the literature by addressing interactional features that increase interactional space, and an approach to teacher and learner talk that highlights CA’s methodological advantages in capturing the interactional nuances of classroom discourse.

Utilizing communication strategies to enhance reflective learning in Ethiopian EFL classrooms

“…It is argued that by increasing students' engagement in interactive communication, encouraging them to reflect on their views, and providing adequate speaking time, instructors can enhance students' language proficiency, as suggested in Refs. [ [13] , [21] , [63] ]. Reference [ 22 , 64 ] stated that employing effective questioning during the reviewing, elaborating, and summarizing stages of lesson presentation serves as a key catalyst for stimulating reflection, especially in classroom settings.…”

“…Audio recording in this study also offers ecological validity and is less intrusive compared to video recording, making it valuable for understanding instructional practices in contexts like Ethiopian higher education. Moreover, it provides researchers with first-hand information that leads to quality data analysis about instructors’ use of communication patterns to foster reflective learning in the EFL classroom [ 21 ]. This level of detailed analysis enhances the rigor and reliability of the study findings and helps to draw genuine conclusions based on which effective implementation would take place in the area of EFL.…”

“…This suggests that mastering effective communication skills has become one of the most demanding skills of contemporary classroom instruction [ 4 , 19 ]. Instructors with these skills can convey lesson content clearly, facilitate reflective discussions, and provide feedback that promotes student growth [ 21 ]. When EFL teachers support their students, then the students, in turn tend to join in a more active way and share their thoughts and ideas openly.…”

“…Yet, Ref. [ 21 ] suggests that in many EFL classrooms, students are frequently directed and often prompted to adhere to the teacher's instructions rather than being prompted to initiate discussions for co-creating shared understanding. Furthermore, it is also suggested that decreasing the amount of time teachers spend speaking in class while increasing the time students dedicate to reflection is considered crucial for sustaining a reflective learning environment [ 26 ].…”

Language learning never gets old: learning a new language in later life

“…As stated by Koole and Berenst (2008), student participation in whole-class interaction is very often 'an opportunity to show what you know, rather than an opportunity to ask questions' (p. 107). As a result of more recent task-based, learner-centred language learning pedagogies, the number of learner-initiated questions is reported to have increased (Avila, 2019;Mori, 2007;Rusk, Pörn, & Sahlström, 2016). Regardless of the amount of questions, there is general consensus that asking questions is important for learning: when (AL) learners work through difficulties and ask questions along the way, their language develops (Gass et al, 1998).…”