A Comparative Study of Multimodal Discourse in Grammar Teaching Between the Chinese Novice Teacher and the Experienced Teacher-- Take Ba-Construction as an Example

Abstract

Based on the framework of multimodal discourse analysis, this paper uses ELAN 6.2 to annotate and quantitatively analyze the characteristics and differences in the use of multimodal discourse in the teaching videos of “Ba”-construction between a Chinese novice teacher and an experienced teacher. The results showed that among the four modal types, both the novice teacher and the experienced teacher used more behavioral modalities. With essentially the same teaching sessions, there was also consistency in the choice of modality. Environmental modality was used throughout the teaching. In the grammar teaching of the experienced teacher, the auditory modality was the main modality, and students made a lot of effective discourse output. He was good at using facial expressions and hand movements to guide students’ learning and creating a good learning environment. Teachers were more inclined to use hand movements (indicative) to guide students’ learning and convey clearer and more explicit messages. Grammar is taught through the judicious use of appropriate modalities or multimodal combinations in each teaching session. This study can provide some reference for the development of teachers’ grammar teaching in international Chinese education.