An Analysis of Classroom Discourse - University of Birmingham

4.3 STUDENTS’ CONFUSE THEIR ROLES
The role of the teacher was generally designated to the opening and follow-up move.
This part made the analysis easy in that there was a distinct role played out by the teacher.
On the other hand, I had some difficulties trying to apply the responses from the students
to this model of discourse. It seems this was caused by the confusion from the students
about their roles in the discourse. These students were very keen on repeating new words
that they heard, which caused them to repeat or reply when they were directed to listen.
This occurred especially when the CD was played because these students are accustomed
to being instructed to repeat what the CD has said. Here are some examples from my
transcription analysis.
Exchange #23:
CD: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Ss: three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
T: Good.
Exchange #45
CD: I have two cats. I have three dogs.
S5: I have two. I have two cats.
T: Yes.
These are both informing exchanges that the students were directed to listen to in the
previous exchange. Instead of listening, the students in exchange #23 begin counting in
sync with the CD. In exchange #45 the student replies to what he had just heard. The
teacher follows-up by saying ‘good’ and ‘yes’ to comment on their ability to count and
produce the language just heard, not their action.
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