Striving for Discussion: An Analysis of a Teacher Educator's Comments in Whole-Class Conversation. Issue 2 (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reynolds, Todd
• Is Part Of: Studying teacher education. Volume 12:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 205
• Page End: 221
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: Dialogic instruction -- whole-class discussion -- self-study -- English education; Enseñanza dialógica -- discusión con el curso entero -- self-study -- English education; Teachers -- Training of -- Periodicals; Education -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 370.7
• DOI: 10.1080/17425964.2016.1192035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1742-5964

Abstract

Abstract: During my English Language Arts methods class, I noticed that my discussion patterns were teacher-focused and in an Initiation-Response-Evaluation format. Because I wanted to model dialogic methods of whole-class discussions for my preservice teachers, I recoiled from this finding and began a self-study using an action research method to examine the techniques and comments I used while leading whole-class discussion. Using dialogic instruction as the theoretical perspective, I examined 11 class sessions, including 32 whole-class discussion events. I found that I was using phrases that stopped student-to-student interaction and that I often took over the conversations. These findings led to more questions about the nuance in the analysis of whole-class discussion, as well as some specific concepts that I incorporated into my teaching of the next year's class.