Abstract
This study examines both contingent and non-contingent interaction (van Lier, L, 1996) as instantiated in an EFL classroom in Colombia. A teacher and her students were observed over a period of a term. The observations provided insights into how interaction took place in the EFL classroom. Drawing on the distinction between con-tingent and non-contingent interaction, the analysis indicated that interaction that occu-rred during instructional stages of the class was mostly non-contingent while interaction that occurred during the regulative stages (Bernstein, B, 2000; Christie, F, 2002) was more contingent and conducive to learning. Claims are made here for the benefits of contingent interaction for the development of competence in EFL. Some implications of this case study for language teacher educa-tion are also discussed.
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