Interactional Architecture and Learning Opportunities in an ESL Classroom
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Interpersonal verbal communication in the language classroom is essential for acquiring target language features and improving spontaneous oral production. This paper, thus, reports on a study that attempted to contribute to our understanding of the nature and usefulness of classroom interaction as a major component of language learning. Transcribed audio-recordings and observation reports from three advanced speaking ESL classes comprised the data used in the study. Qualitative data analysis focused on the characteristics and structure of teacher-student and student-student interaction sequences and their potential contribution to the students’ linguistic knowledge. The study attempted to address the following two questions: what is the nature and structure of teacher-student and student-student interaction and what learning opportunities do they create for language learners? The results indicated that teacher-student interactions followed a regular pattern and allowed limited student contribution. Student-student interactions, on the other hand, had longer turns and were more natural. Both types of interaction seemed to influence the learning process in different ways; the former provided explicit knowledge and comprehensible input while the latter allowed more opportunities for learners to test their communicative abilities and produce comprehensible output.
Author: Mostafa M. Garbaj
Institution: Alasmarya Islamic University
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3138669161