TeachTalk

Author Information

  • José Alberto Fajardo Castañeda

    • Full-time teacher at Universidad Pedagógica Tecnológica de Colombia

    • PhD in Education and Applied Linguistics from Newcastle University, U.K.

    • Member of ENLETAWA research group

Study Overview

  • Objective: Understand how teachers' identities are co-constructed through interactions in the classroom.

  • Methodology: Conversation Analysis (CA) approach used to study spoken interactions during a two-hour English lesson.

  • Participants: An experienced foreign language teacher and a mixed-intermediate adult class in a monolingual Spanish setting.

Key Findings

  • Teacher interactions exhibited asymmetric and empowered relationships.

  • Teacher controlled most social actions in a goal-oriented manner.

  • Institutional interactions influence teachers' awareness of the foreign language learning environment.

Interaction Patterns

  • Utilized the IRF/E cycle (Initiation-Response-Feedback/Evaluation)

  • Significant focus on turn-taking and repair within classroom discourse.

  • Results suggest that teacher identity is largely shaped in discourse through structured interaction.

Historical Trends in Teacher Identity

  • Teacher identity involves complex notions from various fields (philosophy, sociology, psychology).

  • The concept of 'looking glass self' suggests identities are formed through social interaction.

  • Studies illustrate the interplay between personal experiences and professional roles in shaping teacher identities.

Conversation Analysis (CA) Methodology

  • CA focuses on naturally occurring interactions and the details of social action.

  • Analysis of classroom talk is based on micro-level interpretation of discourse.

Classroom Discourse

  • Discourse Setting:

    • Group of 20 adult learners, primarily women, studying English for personal reasons.

    • The atmosphere promotes a supportive learning environment.

Conclusion

  • The study reveals significant aspects of teacher professional identity as co-constructed through classroom talk.

  • Teacher's role is one of dominant control over the interaction within a traditional, goal-oriented framework.

  • Future research suggested in informal educational contexts and varied settings.