Classroom Discourse and Multimodal Conversation Analysis

Abstract

This chapter provides a background of classroom discourse research with particular focus on research into the interactional organization of classroom interaction. Walsh’s (200, 2011) modes are introduced as a key framework for this volume. Prior research on student participation is summarized here, including the concepts of (un)willingness to participate and classroom interactional competence. Finally, multimodal conversation analysis, the methodological framework for this volume, is presented, including brief summaries of research on gaze, gesture, body movement, artifacts, and complex multimodal Gestalts. Notes on transcription practices are presented here, as well as descriptions of the data corpora drawn upon for this study.